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CALIFORNIA 
MINERAL  PRODUCTIO 


FOR  1918 

WITH  COUNTY  MAPS 
BULLETIN  No.  86 


ISSUliD  rsY  THE 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU 

FERRY  BUILDING  »  SAN  FRAMCISCO 


ii     I   iilll 


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1919 


Mi 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU 

FERRY  BUILDING,  SAN  FRANCISCO 
FLETCHER  HAMILTON  State  Mineralogist 


San  Francisco] 


BULLETIN  No.  86 


(July,  1919 


CALIFORNIA 

MINERAL  PRODUCTION 

FOR  1918 


WITH  COUNTY  MAPS 


WALTER  W.  BRADLEY 


♦  ATE    filNERAlOGfi^'^ 


47382 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  PRINTING  OFFICE 

SACRAMENTO 

1919 

U«IVERSITY0FCAL!FORNW 

LIBRARY 

""^'••N'CHOFTHE 

AGKICULTfJRif 


Exhibit    of    California    structural    materials    In    State 
Mining    Bureau,    Ferry    Building,    San    Francisco. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL 7 

INTRODUCTION    8 

Chapter  I. 
SUMMARY  OF  THE  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  IN   CALIFORNIA  DURING  THE 

YEAR  OF   1918 9 

Tabulation  of  the  Mineral  Production  Showing  Comparative  Amounts 

AND  Values — 1917  and  1918 11 

Table  Showing  Comparative  Mineral  Production  of  the  Various  Counties 

IN  California  for  1917  and  1918 12 

Total  Production,  1887-1918 13 

Dividends    14 

THE  ECONOMIC  LIMITS  TO  DOMESTIC  INDEPENDENCE  IN  MINERALS—  14 

INTERNATIONAL   CONTROL   OF   MINERALS —  16 

Chapter  II. 
FUELS    (HYDROCARBONS)  — 

Introductory  21 

Coal    21 

Natural    Gas    24 

Petroleum    26 

Chapter  XXL 

METALS- 
introductory 38 

Aluminum 39 

Antimony   39 

Bismuth    40 

Cadmium    40 

Copper 41 

Gold ^ 44 

Iridium.      (See  Platinum.) 

Iron ...  51 

Lead 52 

Manganese   — 53 

Molybdenum 56 

Nickel  ^  67 

Osmium    57 

Palladium — 57 

Platinum    1 57 

Quicksilver   — 60 

Silver 70 

Tin 74 

Tungsten 7  4 

Vanadium '. 77 

Zinc 78 

Chapter  IV. 
STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS— 

Introductory  — _ _  79 

Asphalt , 80 

Bituminous   Rock 81 

Brick  and  Tile '  81 

Cement . 84 

Chromite   86 

Granite    91 

Lime 92 


Jl//^/ 


4  TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 

STRUCTURAL.  MATERIALS — Continued.  Page 

Magnesite   93 

Marble 99 

Onyx  and  Travertine 100 

Sandstone 100 

Serpentine    101 

Slate   102 

Stone — Miscellaneous    —  102 

Paving  Blocks 104 

Grinding  Mill  Pebbles — 105 

Sand  and  Gravel _--_ . 106 

Crushed   Rock    ______ _ 107 

Chapter  V. 
INDUSTRIAL  MATERIALS— 

Introductory  _ 110 

Asbestos  111 

Barytes 113 

Clay — Pottery 114 

Dolomite  118 

Feldspar 119 

Fluorspar . > — 120 

Fuller's   Earth   121 

Gems 121 

Graphite 122 

Gypsum    ._ 124 

Infusorial  and  Diatomacbous  Earths 125 

Limestone    126 

Lithia    128 

Mica - 129 

Mineral   Paint   129 

Mineral  Water : —  131 

Phosphates    133 

Pumice  and  Volcanic  Ash — : 133 

Pyritb    134 

Silica — Sand  and  Quartz -- 135 

soapstone  and  talc 136 

Strontium    . 137 

Sulphur 138 

Chapter  VI. 
salines- 
Introductory    140 

Borax 140 

Magnesium  Salts 141 

Nitrates — 142 

Potash    143 

Salt 145 

Soda — 146 

Chapter  VII. 

mineral   production    of   CALIFORNIA   BY    COUNTIES. 

INTRODUCTORY 148 

Alameda    150 

Alpine 150 

Amador , 150 

Butte    _ .  151 

Calaveras 152 

COLUSA   152 

Contra  Costa 153 

Del  Norte 153 


TABLE  OF   CONTENTS.  5 

INTRODUCTORY— Continued. 

MINERAL   PRODUCTION    OF   CALIFORNIA   BY    COUNTIES Continued.  PAGE 

El  Dorado 154 

Fresno   154 

Glenn   155 

Humboldt    155 

Imperial 156 

Inyo    157 

Kern 157 

Kings 1 158 

Lake    158 

Lassen 159 

Los  Angeles 159 

Madera   160 

Marin 160 

Mariposa    161 

Mendocino   161 

Merced    162 

Modoc 162 

Mono .  163 

Monterey 163 

Napa    164 

Nevada    164 

Orange   165 

Placer 165 

Plumas 166 

Riverside    166 

Sacramento 167 

San  Benito 168 

San   Bernardino    168 

San  Diego 169 

San  Francisco 170 

San   Joaquin    170 

San   Luis    Obispo 170 

San    Mateo    171 

Santa   Barbara   171 

Santa    Clara    172 

Santa  Cruz '. 173 

Shasta 173 

Sierra 174 

Siskiyou 174 

Solano  175 

Sonoma 175 

Stanislaus . 176 

Sutter   176 

Tehama 177 

Trinity 177 

Tulare 178 

Tuolumne 178 

Ventura 179 

Yolo   179 

Yuba 180 

APPENDIX. 

MINING    BUREAU    ACT 181 

PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  STATE  MINING  BUREAU 184 

COUNTY  MAPS 188 

INDEX    209 


TABLE   OP   CONTENTS. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 

Exhibit  of  California  Structural  Materials  in  State  Mining  Bureau,  Ferry 

Building,  San  Francisco Frontispiece 

Wise  Power  House  of  the  Pacific  Gas  and  Electric  Company  Near  Auburn, 

Placer  County 10 

Outline  Map  of  California  Showing  Locations  of  Coal  Deposits,  1919-- 22 

Chart  Showing  Relative  Positions  of  Average  Price,  24°B.  Quotations  and 

Oil   in  Storage   1914-1918    (Inclusive) 30 

Chart  Showing  Principal  Features  of  the  Copper  Industry,  1907-1918 42 

Chart  Showing  Gold  Production  of  World  for  Thirty  Years 45 

Dredge  No.  11  of  the  Natomas  Company  Near  Folsom,  Sacramento  County 57 

Rotary  Furnaces  and  Wood-Stave  Condensing  Chambers  in  New  Plant  of 

New  Idria  Quicksilver  Mining  Company,  San  Benito  County 61 

New  Reduction  Plant  at  the  Oat  Hill  Quicksilver  Mine,  Napa  County_« 65 

New  Arrangement  of  Condenser  Pipes  at  Oat  Hill  Quicksilver  Mine,  Napa 

County  66 

Multiple  Flue  Line  in  Condensing  System  of  New  Plant  at  Oat  Hill  Quick- 
silver Mine,  Napa  County  68 

Chart  Showing  Silver  Production  of  World  for  Thirty  Years 71 

Tungsten  Mines  Company's  300-Ton  Mill  at  Tungsten  City,  Inyo  County 75 

A  Dry  Concentrator  Working  on  Scheelite  Ground  at  Atolia,  San  Bernardino 

County    76 

Los  Angeles  Pressed  Brick  Company's  Alberhill  Plant,  Riverside  County- _     82 
Concrete     State    Highway     Bridge    Over    the    American    River    on    North 

Twelfth  Street,  Sacramento 85 

Chart  Showing  Production  and  Average  Value  of  Magnesite  in  California 

1887-1918    (Inclusive)    94 

Columnar  Basalt  at  Dunsmuir,  Siskiyou   County 103 

Pit  of  the  Lincoln  Clay  Products  Company,  Near  Lincoln,  Placer  County__   115 

Hauling  Limestone,  Near  Shingle  Springs,  El  Dorado  County — 127 

The  Half-Hour  Geyser  at  Myrtledale  Farm,  Near  Calistoga,  Napa  County 130 

The  Two-Hour  Geyser  at  Light's  Winery,  Calistoga,  Napa  County 131 

Brand  &  Stevens'  Pumice,  Imperial  County 133 

Salt  Stacks  at  Plant  of  Oliver  Chemical  Company,  Alameda  County 145 

California   Alkali   Company's    Soda   Plant    at    Cartago,   Owen's    Lake,   Inyo 

County : 147 

Maps 188-208 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


July,  1919. 
To  His  Excellencij,  the  Honorable  William  D.  Stephens, 
Governor  of  the  State  of  California^ 
Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  herewith  transmit  Bulletin  No.  86  of  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  being  the  annual  report  of  the  statistics  of  the 
mineral  production  of  California. 

The  remarkable  variety,  total  valuation,  and  wide  distribution  of  many 
of  our  minerals  revealed  herein  show  California's  continued  importance 
both  in  peace  and  in  war,  as  a  producer  of  commercial  minerals  among 
the  states  of  the  Union. 

Eespectfully  submitted. 

FLETCHER  HAMILTON, 

State  Mineralogist. 


LETTER  OF  INTRODUCTION. 


It  is  the  endeavor  of  the  staff  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  in  these 
annual  reports  of  the  mineral  industries  of  California,  to  so  compile 
the  statistics  of  production  that  they  will  be  of  actual  use  to  producers 
and  to  those  interested  in  the  utilization  of  the  mineral  products  of  our 
state,  while  at  the  same  time  keeping  the  individual's  data  confidential. 
In  addition  to  the  mere  figures  of  output,  we  have  included  descriptions 
of  the  uses  and  characteristics  of  many  of  the  materials,  as  well  as  a 
brief  mention  of  their  occurrences. 

The  compilation  of  accurate  and  dependable  figures  is  an  extremely 
difficult  undertaking,  and  the  State  Mineralogist  takes  the  oppor- 
tunity of  here  expressing  his  appreciation  of  the  co-operation  of  the 
producers  in  making  this  work  possible.  A  fuller  appreciation  of  the 
value  of  early  responses  to  the  requests  sent  out  in  January  has  resulted 
in  earlier  completion  of  the  manuscript  this  year ;  and  it  is  hoped  will 
further  improve  in  the  future. 

Some  of  the  data  relative  to  properties  and  uses  of  many  of  the 
minerals  herein  described  are  repeated  from  preceding  reports,  as  it 
is  intended  that  this  annual  statistical  bulletin  shall  be  somewhat  of 
a  compendium  of  information  on  California's  commercial  minerals  and 
their  utilization. 

FLETCHER  HAMILTON, 

State  Mineralogist. 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY,  CALIFORNIA,  19 18 


DATA  COMPILED   FROM   DIRECT  RETURNS   FROM   PRO- 
DUCERS IN  ANSWER  TO  INQUIRIES  SENT  OUT  BY 
THE  CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU, 
FERRY  BUILDING,  SAN  FRANCISCO, 
CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  ONE. 

Mineral  output  in  California  during  the  year  1918  amounted  to  the 
record  sum  of  $199,753,837  worth  of  crude  materials.  There  were 
fifty-four  different  mineral  substances,  exclusive  of  a  segregation  of  the 
various  stones  grouped  under  gems;  and  of  the  fifty-eight  counties  in 
the  state,  all  but  two  contributed  some  mineral  product. 

As  compared  with  the  1917  output,  the  notable  features  of  1918  are 
the  enormous  increase  in  petroleum  valuation,  and  the  decrease  of 
over  three  million  dollars  in  the  gold  yield.  The  result  is  a  net  increase 
in  the  grand  total  value  of  $38,550,875  over  the  1917  total. 

Of  the  metals:  Copper  decreased  approximately  740,000  pounds  in 
quantity  and  $1,444,000  in  value.  Gold  decreased  $3,558,342.  Manga- 
nese increased  in  tonnage  and  value,  and  quicksilver  slightly  in  value, 
while  silver,  lead,  zinc  and  tungsten  showed  decreases. 

Petroleum  increased  over  four  million  barrels  in  quantity,  and  the 
prices  per  barrel  for  all  grades  continued  to  rise  so  materially  that  the 
net  result  was  an  increase  of  $40,483,012  in  total  value. 

Decided  changes  are  shown  by  some  of  the  structural  and  industrial 
materials,  among  others,  cement  and  chromite  increasing,  with  mag- 
nesite  and  miscellaneous  stone  showing  decreases.  Of  these,  chromite 
leads  with  a  gain  of  over  two  and  one-half  million  dollars.  Of  the 
salines,  potash  increased  over  two  and  one-half  millions  in  value,  and 
borax  decreased  over  a  half  million. 

The  figures  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  are  made  up  from  reports 
received  direct  from  the  producers  of  the  various  minerals.  Care  is 
exercised  in  avoiding  duplication,  and  any  error  is  likely  to  be  on  the 
side  of  under-  rather  than  over-estimation. 

California  yields  commercially  a  greater  number  and  variety  of 
mineral  products  than  any  other  state  in  the  United  States,  and  prob- 
ably more  than  any  other  equal  area  elsewhere  of  the  earth.  Previous 
to  1916,  the  total  annual  value  of  her  output  was  surpassed  by  but  four 
other  states,  they  being  the  great  coal  and  iron  producers  of  east  of 
the  Mississippi  River.  In  1916  and  1917,  because  of  their  enormous 
increases  in  copper  output,  Montana  and  Arizona  passed  California  in 


10 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


total  value  for  those  years;  and  Arizona  for  1918.  Of  one  item,  at 
least,  borax,  California  still  remains  the  sole  producer;  and  for  many 
years,  was  also  the  sole  domestic  source  of  chromite  and  magnesite. 
We  produce  at  least  75%  of  the  quicksilver  of  the  United  States.  For 
some  years  we  have  been  leading  all  others  in  gold  and  platinum ;  while 
alternating  in  the  lead  with  Colorado  in  tungsten,  and  with  Oklahoma 
in  petroleum. 

Motor  trucks  have  proven  invaluable  in  opening  up  mineral  prop- 
erties hitherto  an  unprofitable  distance  from  railroad  transportation. 
The  advent  and  improvement  of  motor  vehicles  has  induced  the  build- 


wise  Power  House  of  the  Pacific  Gas  and  Electric  Company  near  Auburn,  Placer 
County.    Hydroelectric  power  is  an  important  item  in  the  mining  districts  of  California. 

ing  of  better  roads  everywhere,  thus  assisting  very  greatly  in  the  devel- 
opment of  many  of  our  natural  resources.  The  coming  year,  1919,  will 
see  a  considerable  increase  in  highway  construction. 

Hydroelectric  power  is  an  important  item  in  the  mining  districts  of 
the  state.  Reports  in  February  and  March,  1919,  indicated  a  good 
fall  of  snow  in  the  mountains,  which  will  ensure  a  sufficient  supply  of 
water  for  the  summer  months. 

The  following  table  shows  the  comparative  yield  of  mineral  substances 
of  California  for  1917  and  1918,  as  compiled  from  the  returns  received 
at  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  San  Francisco,  in  answer  to  inquiries  sent 
to  producers : 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


11 


Substance 


Antimony  ore -- 

Asbestos    - 

Barytes 

Bituminous  rock 

Borax   

Brick  and  tile 

Cadmium — 

Cement    

Chromite  

Clay  (pottery)  

Coal 

Copper   

Dolomite    

Feldspar    

Fluorspar   

Fuller's  earth  

Gems 

Gold  

Granite  

Graphite 

Gypsum    

Infusorial  and  diato- 

maceous  earths 

Iron  ore 

Lerd    _ 

Lime   _— 

Limestone  

Lithia   

Magnesite    

Magnesium  salts 

Manganese  ore   

Marble    

Mineral  paint  

Mineral  water 

Molybdenum   

Natural  gas 

Petroleum    

Platinum  

Potash   

Pumice   and   vole  n'c 

ash   

Pyrite   

Quicksilver   

Salt    

Sandstone    

Serpentine  

Silica     (sand     and 

quartz)     

Silver  

Soapstone  and  talc— _ 

Soda 

Stone,  miscellaneous-- 

Strontium  

Tungsten  concentrates 

Zinc    

Unapportioned  


iai7 


Amount 

158  tons 

136  tons 

4,420  tons 

5,590  tons 

109,944  tons 


5,790,734  bbls. 

52,379  tons 

166,298  tons 

3,527  tons 

48,534,611  lbs. 

27,911  tons 

11,792  tons 

1 

220  tons 


30;825  tons 


24,301 

2,874 

21,651,352 

500,730 

237,279 

880 

209,648 

1,064 

15,515 

24,755 

520 

i,94£,020 

1 

44,343,020 

95,396,309 

610 

129,022 


tons 

tons 

lbs. 

bbls. 

tons 

tons 

tons 

tons 

tons 

eu.  ft. 

tons 

gals. 


Mcu.  f 
bbls. 
ounces 
tons 


525  tons 
111,325  tons 

24,382  flasks 
227,825  tons 

31,090  cu.  ft. 


19,376  tons 


5,267  tons 
24,505  tons 


Totals,  _. 
Net  increase 


3,050  tons 
2,466  tons 
11,854,804  lbs. 


Value 

$18,786 
10,225 
25,633 
18,580 
2,561,958 
2,532,721 
1 

7,544,282 

1,130,298 

154,602 

7,691 

13,249,948 

66,416 

46,411 

X 

2,180 
3,049 

20,087,504 
221,997 

1 

56,&40 

127,510 

11,496 

1  832,016 

311,380 

356  396 

8,800 

1.976,227 

34,973 

396,659 

62.950 

2.700 


1918 


Amount 


Value 


229  tons 

100  tons 

2,561  tons 

88,772  tons 


4,772,921  bbls. 

73,955  tons 

112,423  tons 

6,343  tons 

47,793,046  lbs. 


24,560  tons 
4,132  tons 

3 

37  tons 

3 

19,695  tons 

35,963  tons 

2,964,922 

86,976  209 

43,719 

4,202,889 

5,295 

323,704 

2,396,466 

584,373 

7,074 


3,lf8 

13,464869 

436  843 

208,566 

4,111 

83,974 

1,C08 

26,075 

*17,428 

728 

1,808,791 

3 

46  373,052 

C9, 731, 177 

571 

49,381 


tons 

lbs. 

bbls. 

tons 

tons 

tons 

tons 

tons 

cu.  ft. 

tons 


Mcu.  ft. i 
bbls.  j 
ounces  i 
tons        ! 


41,166 

1,462,955 

45,279 

928,578 

?,634,767 

37,000 

3,079,013 

1,2C9,195 

129,469 


2,114  tons 
128,329  tons 
22,621  flasks 
212,076  tons 
90O  cu.  ft. 


23,257  tons 

11,760  tons 
20,447  tons 


2,900  tons 
1,982  tons 
5,565,561  lbs. 


$161,202,962 


j  $9,903 

I  1,500 

9,067 

i       1.867,908 

2,363,481 


3,649,497 

166,788 

16,149 

11,805  883 

79,441 

22.C61 

3 

333 

650 
16,529.162 


37,176 

189,459 

15,947 
{>56  O06 
461,315 
456  258 

73,998 
803,492 

29,955 
979,285 

49,898 

4,738 

375,655 

8     , 

3,289  524 
127,459,221 

42,788 
6,878,976 

28,669 

425,012 

2,579,472 

806,328 

400 


88,930 

1,427,861 

85,534 

855,423 

3,404,157 

33,0CO 

2,832.222 

506,466 

315,134 


Increa8e+ 
Decrease- 
Value 


$18,786— 

322— 

24,13*- 

9,513— 

694,050— 

169,240— 

»        + 

425,627+ 

2,519,190+ 

12,186+ 

8,458+ 

1,444,065— 

13,025+ 

24,350— 

3  + 

1,847— 

2,33&- 

3,558  342— 

82,136— 

3  

19,664— 

61,949+ 

4,451+ 

906,010— 

149,935+ 

99,862+ 

H5,198+ 

1,172,735— 

5,018- 

582,576+ 

13,052— 

2,038+ 

34.984+ 

3  

324,632+ 

40,483.012+ 

931— 

2,6C6,C87+ 

23,374+ 

101,308+ 

183,006+ 

221,955+ 

6,674— 


47,764+ 

35,094— 

45,255+ 

73,155— 

235.610- 

4,000— 

246,791— 

702.724— 

14.335— 


$199,753,837 


$38,550,875+ 


HJn apportioned— includes  cadmium,  fluorspar,  graphite,  molybdenum,  and  serpentine. 
^Includes  macadam,  ballast,  rubble,  riprap,  paving  blocks,  sand,  gravel  and  grinding  mill 
pebbles. 

3Un apportioned— includes  cadmium,  fluorspar,  graphite  and  molybdenum. 
*Includes  onyx  and  serpentine. 
^Combined  with  marble. 


12 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OP  CALIFORNIA. 


The  following  table  shows  the  comparative  value  of  the  mineral  pro- 
duction of  the  various  counties  in  the  state  for  the  years  1917  and  1918 : 


County 


1918 


Alameda 
Alpine  __. 
Amador  . 
Butte   „. 


Calaveras  

Colusa  

Contra  Costa 

Del  Norte 

El  Dorado  

Fresno  

Glenn 

Humboldt  

Imperial 

Inyo 


Kern 

Kings   

Lake  

Lassen  

Los  Angeles 
Madera  — ___. 

Marin  

Mariposa  __. 
Mendocino  _. 

Merced 

Modoc 

Mono 

Monterey  __. 
Napa 


Nevada  

Orange  

Placer  

Plumas    

Riverside  

Sacramento   

San  Benito 

San  Bernardino  . 

San  Diego  

San  Francisco  __. 
San  Joaquin  __,_. 
San  Luis  Obispo. 

San  Mateo 

Santa  Barbara  _. 

Santa  Clara 

Santa  Cruz 

Shasta  

Sierra  

Siskiyou 

Solano -. 

Sonoma 

Stanislaus 

Sutter 

Tehama 

Trinity 

Tulare  

Tuolumne 

Ventura  

Yolo 

Yuba  


Totals. 


851,194 
130,259 
717,150 

16,321 
276,657 
104,340 
313,602 
158,052 

65,272 

59,858 
129,400 
296,230 
743,422 
2,777 
170,552 
376 
204,523 
236,937 
272,302 
352,227 

50,415 
147,116 
20O 
218,772 
138,786 
421,073 
,838,397 
231,626 
,029,789 
,294,886 
580,555 
286,656 
233,163 
407.742 
713,708 
107,957 
470,220 
338,144 
207,163 
,153,081 
991,530 
,668,324 
244,869 
389,615 
829,409 
899,231 
506,750 
289,922 
5,000 

44,019 
987,842 
499,988 
511,273 
,498,010 
5,561 
721.996 


$161,202,962 


$1,173,535 


3,452,640 

873,035 

2.794,452 

16,400 

1,324,251 

371,675 

959,286 

19,876,625 

89,699 

141,954 

109,692 

5,177,676 

63,410,685 

9,229 

215,876 

800 

16,006,628 

114,327 

176,183 

352,504 

108,388 

74,849 

8,220 

54,863 

119,687 

1,676.367 

3,301,651 

22,914,660 

903,520 

3,092,694 

1,689,042 

2,102,597 

1,537,463 

7,632,790 

1,942,150 

16,463 

601,973 

858,679 

193,812 

10,051,831 

1,759,568 

2,599,717 

8,098,671 

331,501 

877,287 

1.470,726 

586,391 

453,913 


157.591 
707,524 
527,408 
602,278 

2,186,311 
21,215 

3,844,885 


$199,753,837 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


13 


Total  Production. 

The  following  tabulation  gives  the  total  value  of  mineral  production 
of  California  by  years  since  1887,  in  which  year  compilation  of  such 
data  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  began.  At  the  side  of  these  figures 
the  writer  has  placed  the  values  of  the  most  important  metal  and  non- 
metal  items — gold  and  petroleum. 

In  the  same  period  copper  has  also  increased,  beginning  with  1897 
following  the  entry  of  the  Shasta  County  mines.  Cement  increased 
rapidly  from  1902,  while  crushed  rock,  sand  and  gravel  parallels  the 
cement  increase.  Quicksilver  has  been  up  and  down.  Mineral  water 
and  salt  have  always  been  important  items,  but  the  values  fluctuate. 
Borax  has  increased  materially  since  1896.  Wartime  increases,  1915- 
1918,  were  shown  by  chromite,  copper,  lead,  magnesite,  manganese, 
silver,  tungsten  and  zinc. 

Total  Mineral  Production  of  California  by  Years,  Since  1887. 


Tear 

Total  value  of 
all  minerals 

Gold,  value 

Petroleum, 
value 

1887    

$19,785,868 
19,469,320 
16,681,731 
18,039,666 
18.872,413 
18,300,168 
18,811,261 
20,203,294 
22,844.663 
24,291,398 
25.142,441 
27,289,079 
29.313.460 
32,622,945 
34,355.981 
35.069.105 
37.759,040 
43,778,348 
43,069,227 
46,776,085 
55.697.949 
66,363,198 
82,972.209 
88,419.079 
87,497,879 
88.972,385 
98,644,639 
93,314,773 
96,663,369 
127.901,610 
161,202,962 
199.753.837 

$13,588,614 
12,750,000 
11,212,913 
12,309,793 
12,728.869 
12.571,900 
12,422,811 
13,923,281 
15,334.317 
17,181,562 
15,871,401 
15,906,478 
15.336,031 
15,863.355 
16.989.044 
16,910.320 
16,471,264 
19.109.600 
19,197,043 
18,732,452 
16,727,928 
18  761,559 
20,237,870 
19,715,440 
19,738,908 
19.713.478 
20,406.958 
20,653.496 
22,442,296 
21,410.741 
20,087,504 
16.529,162 

$1,357,144 

1,380,666 

368,048 

384,200 

1888                 -                   

1889 

1890 

1891                  -          -      — 

401,264 
561,333 
608  092 

1892 

1893 

1894 _  _ 

1.064,521 
1,000.235 
1,180,793 
1,918,269 
2  376  420 

1895  _„ _ 

1896 

1897       _      -          — 

1898 . 

1899       -    —      -      - 

2,660,793 
4,152,928 
2,961,102 
4,692,189 
7,313.271 
8  317  809 

1900 

1901 

1902 __ 

1903 

1904 

1905 

9,007,820 

9,238.020 

16  783  943 

1906 

1907 

1908 

26.566,181 
32,398,187 
37.689.542 
40,552,088 
41.868,344 
48,578,014 
47,487,109 
43,503,837 
57,421,334 
86,976,209 
127.459.221 

1909 __ 

1910 

1911 _  _. 

1912 

1913. _ 

1914 

1915 

1916 

1917 

1918 _    _ 

Totals __ 

$799,879,382 

$540,836,388 

$668,228,926 

14 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Dividends. 

Among  the  metal-mine  dividend  payers  in  1918  in  California  the  fol 
lowing  have  been  reported:* 


Company 

Metal 

Shares 
issued 

Par 
value 

Paid 
in  1919 

Total 

Latest  dividends 

Date 

Amount 

Argonaut  

Atolia  

Gold 

Tungsten 

f  Lead 

^  Zinc 

[  Silver 

Copper 

Copper 

Quicksilver 

Gold 

Gold 

Gold 

200.000 
100,000 

975,000 

1,791,926 

600,000 
100,0:0 
250,000 
240,OGO 

3,500,000 

$5  00 

100 

100 

1  00 

500 

5  00 

10  00 

480 

500 

$60,000 

90,000 

25,000 

100,000 

86,400 

$1,950,000 
5,264,500 

299,375 

565,273 

660,000 
2,705,000 
5,537,040 

666,080 

9,858,110 

Jan.  25.  1919 
Sept.  15,  1918 

Jan.  -,  1917 

Oct.     1,  1918 
Mar.  — ,  1919 
Jan.    1,  1919 
June  28,  1919 
Jan.    1,  1919 

June—    1918 

0.30 
0.50 

Cerro  Gordo 

0.05 

Engels 

0.01^ 

First  National 

New  Idria 

North  Star            

0.15 
0.25 
0.40 

Plymouth  Con. 

Yukon  Gold  (also 
Alaska  and  Nevada). 

0.12 
0.0^ 

THE  ECONOMIC  LIMITS  TO  DOMESTIC  INDEPENDENCE 
IN  MINERALS. 

Much  has  been  written  with  respect  to  the  effect  of  wartime  demands 
on  our  various  industries.  Nowhere  was  this  demand  greater  nor  more 
vital  than  on  our  mineral  resources.  While  many  of  the  states,  and 
California  in  particular,  came  forward  in  a  splendid  response,  yet  in 
certain  specific  cases  occurrences  within  the  boundaries  of  the  United 
States  are  either  lacking  or  totally  deficient  to  meet  our  own  needs. 

This  subject  and  that  of  the  international  phase  of  the  utilization 
of  mineral  resources  have  been  discussed  by  Smith'  and  Leith'  recently. 
The  writer  deems  it  of  sufficient  value  and  interest  to  Calif ornian  mineral 
producers  to  quote  from  them,  herein,  somewhat  at  length : 

_  "The  war  demands  placed  upon  the  United  States  created  many  new  problems 
in  connection  with  the  supply  of  raw  materials.  Not  only  were  former  sources  of 
supply  cut  off  by  the  war's  interference  with  commerce,  but  the  large  industrial 
expansion  due  to  the  world's  larger  need  of  American  manufactured  products  caused 
in  turn  increased  consumption  of  raw  materials;  the  net  result  was  an  unprecedented 
and  a  too  largely  unexpected  call  upon  the  basal  industries  of  the  country — agri- 
culture, forestry,  and  mining. 

"Already  the  United  States  had  become  more  nearly  independent  than  any  other 
industrial  nation  in  the  production  of  minerals;  our  output  in  1913  was  36  per  cent 
of  the  total  for  the  world  and  included  even  larger  percentages  of  the  mineral  fuels 
and  copper,  alumin.um,  zinc,  and  sulphur.  Yet  there  were  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Nation's  ledger  notable  deficiences  in  tin,  platinum,  nickel,  manganese,  chrome, 
potash,  and  nitrates,  and  the  domestic  supply  of  some  of  these  minerals  continues 
to  be  hopelessly  inadequate.  To  meet  the  war  demand  for  every  mineral  raw  material 
was  the  larger  task  set  before  the  mineral  industry,  and  the  degree  of  success  attained 
and  its  cost  are  the  basal  facts  in  any  inquiry  as  to  the  economic  limits  that  must 
be  recognized  in  developing  the  domestic  supply.^     *      *     * 

"The  war  program,  with  its  reaction  upon  industry,  has  opened  the  eyes  of 
many  to  old  facts.  Mineral  raw  materials  have  won  a  recognition  based  upon  the 
new  realization  of  their  value.     De  Launay's  recent  and  apt  characterization  of  coal 

•Mining  &  Scientific  Press,  Vol.   119,  p.   35,   July  5,   1919. 

iSmlth,  Geo.  Otis,  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.:  Mineral  Resources  of  the  United  States,  1917,  Part  I,  pp.  la-Ga, 
1918. 

2Lelth,   C.   K.,   idem.   pp.    7a-16a. 

»"The  writer  neither  overlooks  nor  minimizes  the  International  phase  of  the  utilization  of  mineral 
resources,  but  because  of  the  many-sided  nature  of  the  whole  subject,  the  arrangement  has  been  made 
for  Prof.  Leith  to  present  the  broader  outlook  In  the  paper  which  follows.  It  Is  hoped  in  this  way  to 
suggest  more  of  the  facts  and  principles  that  must  be  kept  In  mind  by  one  who  approaches  the  solution 
of  this  economic  problem." 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  15 

and  iron   as   tlie   two   'grand  seigneurs*   of   the  mineral  world*  is   in   strong  contrast 
with   the   ancient   Idea   of   nobility    among   metals.     The    new   measure   of   value   is 

usefulness, 

*  *  *  «  *  *  « 

"In  terms  of  commercial  geology,  therefore,  ore  deposits  take  on  competitive 
relationships,  and  in  terms  of  national  interest  there  must  be  a  determination  of 
relative  worth.  The  practical  question  concerns  not  simply  the  quantity  of  metal 
present  in  the  ore  but  the  quantity  that  can  be  won  to  the  profit  of  mankind.  First 
of  all,  then,  in  fixing  the  economic  limits  to  the  utilization  of  domestic  mineral 
deposits,  comes  the  balancing  of  cost  of  production  with  the  value  of  the  product. 
This  requirement,  which  holds  good  in  any  business  undertakings,  however  small, 
is  none  the  less  operative  in  an  industry  viewed  in  its  national  aspect.  Economic 
profit  is  attained  only  by.  reducing  cost  or  increasing  value  until  the  margin 
appears  on  the  right  side  of  the  account. 

"Into  the  cost  of  production  enter  the  items  of  transportation,  investment  and 
labor.  An  industrial  leader  like  Mr.  Schwab*  appreciates  the  'handicap  of  distance,' 
although  with  a  sportsman-like  spirit  he  and  other  industrial  leaders  regard  this 
handicap  as  simply  another  incentive  to  American  ingenuity,  not  as  a  plea  for 
preferential  freight  rates.  The  transportation  factor  has  played  a  noteworthy  part 
in  every  large  production  enterprise  in  the  United  States,  where  commonly  mine 
and  market  are  separated  by  hundreds  if  not  thousands  of  miles. 

"Improvement  in  transportation,  whether  interstate  or  international,  tends  to 
the  equalization  of  opportunity:  the  peoples  of  the  world  are  brought  closer  together. 
Artificial  rates,  however,  in  either  interstate  or  international  commerce  will  impose 
burdens  rather  than  confer  benefits,  and  we  can  not  afford  to  throw  back  to  the  era 
of  rebates.  Therefore  the  facts  of  transportation  must  be  written  into  the  statement 
of  production  costs;  the  geologist  and  the  engineer  must  from  'the  start  be  geogra- 
phers, for  distance  can  not  be  eliminated  from  any  commercial  problem.  The  place 
factor  enters  so  largely  into  the  determination  of  value  of  mineral  raw  materials 
that  many  a  promoter  would  gladly  have  the  scientific  investigator  close  his  eyes 
to  the  facts  regarding  the  accessibility  of  the  deposit  under  examination.  Yet  the 
transportation  cost  is  too  often  the  cause  of  financial  disaster,  even  when  the 
geologic  and  other  engineering  facts  have  been  correctly  determined  and  are 
favorable  to  success. 

"Investment  and  labor  costs  come  less  under  the  purview  of  the  geologic  engineer 
in  his  study  of  mineral  resources,  yet  the  power  element  is  one  that  touches  both  of 
these  items  and  is  not  to  be  overlooked  by  any  student  of  industrial  problems.  It 
becomes  more  and  more  evident  that  the  use  of  power,  either  steam  or  water,  will 
become  the  deciding  factor  in  American  industry.  The  statistics  of  man  power  cited 
by  Butler,*'  furnish  the  most  convincing  arguments  as  to  the  stability  of  our  copper 
industry  and  its  ability  to  dominate  the  world  markets.  The  community  of  interest 
between  some  of  the  largest  mining  and  power  corporations  is  therefore  to  be 
regarded  as  a  natural  develpment  along  economic  lines — not  as  an  artifice  in 
restraint  of  trade.  Whether  cheap  power  is  made  available  for  mine  use  by  private 
initiative  or  by  public  control,  the  result  is  the  same — cheap  raw  materials  for  other 
industries. 

"During  the  war  period  the  value  of  raw  materials  was  in  large  part  due  to 
the  emergency  demand,  and  the  experience  should  leave  its  realization  of  the  exigency 
element  in  the  determination  of  value.  Under  war  conditions  no  one  questions 
the  great  advantage  of  domestic  independence  in  raw  materials,  and  then  adequate 
supply  rather  than  low  price  is  all-desirable.  Nearness  of  source  of  raw  materials 
is  advantageous  at  other  times,  but  the  amount  that  can  then  be  added  to  the  value 
on  that  account  is  less  easily  determined.  The  purchasing  agent  of  a  large  manu- 
facturing plant  may  favor  the  near-by  to  the  distant  source  of  raw  material  and 
the  domestic  to  the  foreign  producer  as  a  matter  of  assurance  that  there  will  be 
no  interruption  to  'keeping  the  works  running.'  Yet  the  spirit  of  cost  accounting 
leads  usually  to  the  cheapest  market.  Again  it  happens  that  when  a  productive 
industry  so  contributes  to  some  larger  business  or  group  of  industries  as  to  be 
absolutely  essential  to  their  continuance  tliis  key  industry  takes  on  a  larger  signifi- 
cance than  its  size  suggests. 

"In  the  consideration  of  any  domestic  industry,  the  factor  of  home  consumption 
must  not  be  overlooked;  indeed,  home  consumption  is  more  directly  connected  with 
national  welfare  than  exports.  Our  high  per  capita  consumption  of  copper,  for 
instance,  means  more  to  the  nation  than  our  exportable  surplus  of  the  same  metal, 
the  true  value  of  which  is  indirect  through  the  means  it  furnishes  for  trade  or 
exchange  for  imports  of  other  commodities  for  our  own  consumption.  A  nation  that 
robs  its  domestic  consumers  so  as  to  have  an  exportable  surplus  or  to  sell  that  surplus 
at  a  price  below  cost  will  be  copying  a  German  blunder  in  economics.  Increased  con- 
sumption of  metals  and  mineral  fuels  means  expansion  of  all  industries,  which  in 
turn  should  mean  a  larger  home  market  for  all  the  things  that  go  with  a  higher 
standard  of  living. 

"The  mineral  control  act  of  1918  furnishes  a  too  long  delayed  expression  of  the 
emergency  value  of  mineral  independence.  The  exigencies  of  war  revealed  many 
deficiencies  in  industrial  preparedness,  and  although  over  one-third  of  the  world 
output  in  essential  minerals  was  credited  to  the  United  States  at  the  beginning} 
of  the  war  period,  the  largest  part  of  the  raw  materials  found  to  be  inadequately 
supplied  included  minerals  and  their  derivatives.''  Interruption  to  the  importation 
of  a  relatively  few  ores  brought  immediate  realizatioh  of  the  industrial  advantages 
of   a   domestic   supply,   and   the   coincident   shortage   in   rail   transportation   showed 


^France — Allemagne,  p.    225,    1917: 

^American  problems  of  reconstruction,  p.    143,   1918. 

op.utler,  B.  S.,  Copper:  U.  S.  Geol  Survey  Mineral  Resources.  1917,  pt.   1.  pp.  (in  preparation). 

TTlie  italics  are  ours. — W.   W.   B. 


16  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

that  the  disadvantage  of  an  international  long-  haul  differs  only  in  degree  from  that 
of  too  long  an  interstate  haul.  The  premium  that  industry  can  afford  to  pay  for  the 
assurance  of  an  uninterrupted  supply  of  raw  material  provides  the  answer  to  this 
question  of  the  emergency  value  of  either  national  or  local  independence. 

"The  proper  valuation  of  national  independence  in  raw  materials  therefore 
requires  a  careful  weighing  of  the  emergency  factor,  which  introduces  the  insurance 
idea,  as  well  as  an  estimating  of  future  possibilities  of  lower  costs  as  the  industry 
develops.  The  incidental  or  the  ultimate  advantage  may  be  so  large  as  not  to  be 
seen  by  those  who  take  too  close  a  view  of  cost  accounting  or  are  shortsighted 
in  their  outlook  on  the  nation's  business.  The  old  contradiction  of  penny-wise  and 
pound-foolish  holds  true  today  in  matters  of  cents  and  dollars. 

"In  every  business  there  are  elements  of  value  that  do  not  appear  on  the  cost 
sheets.  The  war  record  of  American  business  will  not  be  complete  except  as  it 
includes  the  story  of  those  producers  who  kept  up  their  output  regardless  of  the 
losses  involved — a  type  of  patriotism  not  spectacular  but  exceedingly  helpful.  So, 
too,  in  time  of  peace  there  may  be  conditions  under  which,  viewed  in  the  larger 
way.  It  pays  to  do  business  at  a  loss. 

"A  composite  diagram  of  either  current  output  or  future  reserves  of  the  essential 
minerals  for  the  countries  of  the  world  would  show  so  large  a  centralization  in 
North  America  as  to  suggest  that  there  is  a  group  of  nature-favored  nations.  This 
strategic  advantage  expresses  itself  in  the  well-recognized  large  degree  of  self- 
sufficiency  of  the  United  States,  so  that  the  question  of  economic  limits  to  domestic 
independence  concerns  a  relatively  small  number  of  minerals  and  makes  our  problem 
quite  different  from  that  in  other  and  less  favored  nations.  However,  whether  the 
debatable  list  includes  only  chromite,  manganese,  pyrite  and  potash,  or  is  much 
longer,  clear  analysis  of  the  economic  problem  is  needed,  for  cost  keeping  on  a 
national  scale  is  the  only  safeguard  against  a  loss  which  is  real,  even  though  not 
at  once  apparent. 

"Whether  wisest  utilization  of  mineral  resources  means  full  utilization  is  debatable, 
and  every  student  of  natural  resources  realizes  that  the  time  of  utilization  is  often 
an  element  in  the  degree  of  wisdom  shown.  It  is  not  necessarily  prodigal  wastefulness 
that  only  the  richest  ore  is  mined  when  a  new  district  is  discovered ;  creation  of 
transportation  facilities,  construction  of  smelters  and  mills,  and  general  advance 
in  technology  are  the  intermediate  steps  between  bonanza  exploitation  and  the 
highly  organized  operation  of  low-grade  deposits.  Utah  had  a  long  history  as  a 
mining  State  and  its  contributions  to  the  world's  wealth  were  large  before  Bingham 
started  a  new  epoch  in  copper  mining.  So,  too,  the  reworking  of  dumps  and  of 
tailings  ponds  furnishes  illustrations  of  the  complete  utilization  that  is  evolved  in 
these  changing  conditions,  and  the  appreciation  of  this  truth  should  warn  us  against 
too  hasty,  off-hand  determination  of  the  economic  limitations  placed  by  nature  upon 
mining  development.  By  the  very  nature  of  things  many  successful  mining  ventures 
are  at  the  start  unprofitable,  and  many  ore  deposits  can  be  fully  developed  only 
through  actual  mining  operation.  In  a  national  sense  it  may  prove  that  'nothing 
venture,   nothing  have.' 

"The  largest  degree  of  national  usefulness  will  be  won  from  our  mineral  resources 
only  through  the  highest  industrial  efficiency,  which  is  in  turn  secured  by  engineering 
advance  and  the  linking  up  of  mechanical  power  and  man  power.  This  means  to 
the  end  is  typically  American,  but  too  much  emphasis  can  not  be  put  upon  the 
importance  of  governmental  action  that  is  constructive  in  its  co-operation  with 
industry.  While,  unfortunately,  public  regulation  seems  to  start  usually  with 
measures  that  are  wholly  restrictive  in  effect,  because  too  often  abuse  of  privilege 
has  led  to  the  legislative  action,  yet  regulatory  measures  can  be  truly  promotive, 
as  has  been  shown  in  the  recent  co-operation  of  business  and  the  Government. 
Public  interest  and  private  interest  in  the  long  run  are  less  antagonistic  than  either 
the  captain  of  industry  or  the  public  servant  has  suspected.  It  is  true  that  the 
measure  of  economic  worth  must  be  the  welfare  of  the  individual,  the  community, 
and  the  people  of  the  Nation,  and  not  the  dollar  of  profit  to  the  corporation  or  the 
State,  yet  only  a  successful  industry  can  be  made  to  serve  both  owner  and  workman 
and  the  public  as  well.  If  the  product  is  not  actually  worth  its  whole  cost,  no 
camouflage  of  bounty  or  tax  exemption  or  import  duty  will  long  conceal  the  inherent 
weakness  of  the  industry.  The  basic  importance  of  the  raw  material  resources  to  the 
country  makes  it  a  prime  public  duty  of  citizens  generally  to  know  the  facts 
regarding  the  mineral  industry,  and  to  ascertain  these  facts  the  intensive  study  of 
our  own  resources  is  not  enough:  we  must  also  acquire  a  comprehension  of  what 
minerals  other  countries  contain  to  supplement  what  we  have  at  home." 

"INTERNATIONAL  CONTROL  OF  MINERALS.^ 
"World  Movement  of  Minerals. 

"The  annual  world  production  of  minerals  approximates  1,700,000,000  tons,  over 
90  per  cent  of  which  consists  of  coal  and  iron.  Of  this  amount  about  two-thirds 
is  used  within  the  countries  where  the  minerals  are  produced  and  one-third  is 
shipped  to  other  countries.  The  mineral  production  of  the  United  States  amounts 
to  about  one-third  of  the  total. 

"In  the  discussion  of  mineral  resources  in  their  international  aspects  we  are 
concerned  primarily  with  the  33  per  cent  of  the  mineral  output  which  moves  between 
countries.  It  may  be  assumed  that  the  consumption  within  the  countries  of  origin 
is  a  matter  of  national  rather  than  international  concern. 

"One  of  the  several  interesting  facts  in  this  world  movement  of  minerals  is  that 
the  movement  of  most  of  them  shows  a  rather  remarkable  concentration.  For 
instance,  manganese  moves  from  three  principal  sources  and  converges  at  four  or 

•Lelth,  C.  K..  op.  dt. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION.  17 

five  consuming:  centers.  Chromite  moves  from  two  principal  sources;  tungsten 
also  from  two.  Even  for  certain  commodities  which  are  widely  distributed  and 
move  in  large  amounts  the  concentration  of  movement  is  rather  marked — for  instance, 
the  world  movement  of  coal  is  controlled  by  the  United  States,  England,  and 
Germany.  In  other  words,  although  the  world  movement  of  mineral  commodities  is 
widespread  and  exhibits  many  complex  features,  most  of  the  individual  minerals 
follow  two  or  three  salient  lines  of  movement.  This  means  in  general  that  for 
each  mineral  there  are  certain  sources  of  limited  geographic  extent,  which,  because 
of  location,  grade,  relation  to  transportation,  cost — in  short,  all  the  factors  that  enter 
into  availability — are  drawn  upon  heavily  for  the  world's  chief  demands.  The 
convergence  of  these  materials  toward  a  few  consuming  centers  indicates  generally 
concentration  of  coal  production  necessary  to  smelting,  high  development  of  manu- 
facturing, large  per  capita  use,  concentration  of  facilities,  strong  financial  control, 
and,  not  least,  a  large  element  of  enterprise  which  has  taken  advantage  of  more 
or  less  favorable  conditions. 

"Another  significant  fact  which  emphasizes  the  interdependence  of  nations  and 
the  importance  of  international  considerations,  is  that  no  country  is  entirely  self- 
sustaining  in  its  mineral  requirements. 

******* 

"Changes  Brought  About  by  the  War. 

"The  war  wrought  fundamental  changes  in  the  world  movement  of  minerals. 
The  character  and  distribution  of  the  demands  changed.  Customary  sources  of 
supply  were  cut  off.  Financial  disturbances  and  ship  shortage  profoundly  modified 
the  nature,  distribution,  and  extent  of  the  world  movement.  Our  domestic  mineral 
industry  was  abruptly  brought  to  a  realization  of  its  vital  relations  with  interna- 
tional trade.  To  illustrate,  the  large  movement  of  manganese  from  India  and  Russia 
to  the  United  States  was  abruptly  stopped,  and  we  had  to  develop  a  source  of 
supply  in  Brazil.  The  stoppage  of  pyrite  importations  from  Spain  as  a  means  of 
saving  ships  required  the  development  of  pyrite  and  sulphur  supplies  in  the  United 
States.  The  export  of  oil  from  the  United  States  to  European  countries  was  greatly 
stimulated,  and  the  export  to  other  countries  was  correspondingly  decreased.  The 
world  movements  of  coal  were  vitally  affected,  principally  by  the  limitation  of  the 
coal  shipments  from  England  and  the  United  States  to  South  America  and  the 
concentration  of  shipments  to  European  countries.  The  closing  of  German  coal 
supplies  to  near-by  countries  had  far-reaching  consequences.  The  cutting  off  of  the 
German  potash  left  the  world  for  the  time  being  almost  unsupplied  with  this  vital 
fertilizing  ingredient.  The  Chilean  nitrates,  on  which  the  world  had  relied  for 
fertilizer,  were  diverted  almost  exclusively  to  the  manufacture  of  powder.  The 
total  annual  imports  of  mineral  commodities  into  the  United  States  were  reduced  by 
1,200,000  tons.  Our  exports,  though  they  continued  in  large  volume,  were  mainly 
concentrated  in  Europe.  The  story  of  these  disturbances  in  the  world  movement 
of  minerals,  though  highly  interesting,  is  too  long  to  be  told  here. 

"International  Control  as  a  War  Measure. 

"Out  of  these  sweeping  and  rapid  changes  in  the  world  movement  of  mineral 
commodities  there  arose,  partly  as  cause  and  partly  as  effect,  international  agree- 
ments for  the  allocation  of  minerals,  as  a  means  of  insuring  the  proper  proportions 
of  supplies  to  the  different  countries  for  the  most  effective  prosecution  of  the  war. 
Inter-Allied  purchasing  committees  in  London  and  in  Paris  found  it  necessary  to 
make  an  inter-Allied  allocation  of  the  output  of  Chilean  nitrate,  because  the  sum 
of  the  demands  exceeded  the  total  supply  by  a  considerable  fraction,  and  to  agree 
on  distribution  and  price  of  the  world's  supplies  of  tin,  tungsten,  and  platinum. 
For  many  other  commodities  agreements  of  various  sorts  were  made.  For  instance, 
the  United  States  entered  into  an  agreement  with  England  and  France  for  the 
purchase  of  iron  ore  and  molybdenum  from  Scandinavia  to  keep  it  out  of  Germany. 
The  United  States  and  England  agreed  as  to  supplying  Canada  with  ferromanganese. 
New  problems  of  world  allocation  came  up  almost  daily. 

"Possibility  of  Post-War  International  Control. 

"We  now  face  the  immediate  and  pressing  question  whether  the  centralized 
international  control  required  by  the  war  shall  be  retained  or  extended  as  a  means 
of  furthering  the  aims  of  a  league  of  nations.  When  such  a  league  was  first  pro- 
posed emphasis  was  placed  mainly  on  political  and  military  considerations.  It  now 
seems  to  be  recognized  that  these  are  so  closely  interlocked  with  economic  consid- 
erations that  any  league  of  nations,  to  be  effective  as  a  means  of  minimizing  future 
international  discord,  must  make  provision  for  some  degree  of  international  or  super- 
national  control  of  business.  Recent  statements  by  officials  of  Great  Britain  and 
France  seem  to  indicate  a  definite  purpose  to  urge  such  control. 

"Some  of  the  reasons  which  have  been  urged  for  the  international  control  of 
the  movements  of  minerals  are  as  follows: 

1.  To  insure  equitable  distribution  of  certain  minerals,  such  as  tungsten,  vanadium, 
platinum,  and  gold,  of  which  there  may  be  a  world  shortage. 

2.  To  mitigate  a  world  shortage  of  ships  by  international  allocation  of  ship  space, 
which  would  entail  limitations  on  the  movement  of  minerals. 

3.  To  prevent  nations  which  are  more  advantageously  situated  in  regard  to 
finance,  location,  and  general  control  of  trade  from  monopolizing  the  business  in  any 
commodity  at  the  expense  of  other  nations — in  other  words,  to  insure  equality  of 
opportunity  in  regard  to  basic  raw  materials.  The  control  of  many  mineral  commod- 
ities now  approaches  national  monopoly. 

4.  To  reach  some  agreement  as  to  division  of  markets  for  commodities  such  as 
iron,  steel,  and  coal,  which  are  available  in  so  great  abundance  that  several  of 
the  larger  nations  have  considerable  exportable  surplus,  in  order  to  prevent  inter- 
national difficulties  due  to   unrestricted  competition. 

5.  To  maintain  equilibrium  of  price. 

2-47382 


18 


MINERAL  INDUSl-RY  OP  CALIFORNIA. 


6.  To  insure  common  and  equitable  contribution  of  supplies  for  rehabilitation  of  the 
devastated   countries. 

7.  To  serve  as  a  means  of  disciplining  any  nation  that  will  not  conform  to  any 
code  or  control  established  by  a  league  of  nations.  To  many  this  has  been  a 
dominant  consideration. 

8.  In  general  to  prevent  economic  friction  that  might  vitiate  any  world  political 
agreements. 

9.  To  replace  the  crude  and  cumbersome  arrangements  for  international  control 
through  complex  treaties  and  tariffs  by  a  more  centralized  system, 

"The  foregoing  is  merely  a  list  of  suggestions  that  have  been  made;  it  is  not  a 
unit  statement  of  the  requirements  of  the  situation. 

*♦**•♦♦ 

"Position  of  the   United  States  in   Regard  to   International   C»ntrol  of   iViinerals. 

"The  United  States  is  more  nearly  self-sustaining  in  regard  to  mineral  com- 
modities as  a  whole  than  any  other  country  on  the  globe.  The  following  statement 
summarizes  qualitatively  our  position: 

"1,    Minerals  of  which  there  is  an  adequate  supply  or  exportable  surplus  in  the  United 
States: 

A.  Minerals  of  which  our  exportable  surplus  dominates  the  world  situation: 

Copper. 
Petroleum, 

B.  Minerals  of  which  our  exportable  surplus  constitutes  an  important  but  not 
a  dominant  factor  in  the  world  trade: 

Sulphur. 

Phosphates. 

Silver. 

Iron  and  steel. 

Coal. 

Cement. 

Uranium  and  radium. 

C.  Minerals  of  which  our  exportable  surplus  is  not  an  important  factor  in 
world  trade.  Small  amounts  of  most  of  these  minerals  have  been  and  will 
doubtless  continue  to  be  imported  because  of  special  grades,  backhaul,  or 
cheaper  sources  of  foreign  supply,  but  these  imports  are  for  the  most  part 
incidental: 

Lead. 

Zinc. 

Aluminum  and  bauxite. 

Gold. 

Tungsten. 

Molybdenum. 

Asphalt  and  bitumen. 

Pyrite. 

Barite. 

Fluorspar. 

Building  stone   (except  Italian  marble). 

Cadmium. 

Gypsum. 

Lime. 

Tripoli  and  diatomaceous  earth. 

Mineral  paints  (except  umber,  sienna,  and  ocher  from  France  and  Spain). 

Pumice. 

Garnet, 

Salt  (Except  special  classes). 

Talc. 

Arsenic. 

Bismuth. 

Bromine. 

Artificial  abrasives,  corundum,  and  emery   (except  Naxos  emery). 

Fuller's  earth. 

Mercury. 

"2.  Minerals  for  which  the  United  States  demand  must  continue  to  be  met  by  imports: 

A.  Minerals  for  which  the  United  States  must  depend  almost  entirely  on 
other  countries: 

Tin. 

Nickel. 

Platinum  and  metals  of  the  platinum   group. 

B.  Minerals  for  which  the  United  States  will  depend  on  foreign  sources  for 
a  considerable   fraction  of  the  supply: 

Antimony. 

Vanadium. 

Zirconium. 

Mica. 

Monazite. 

Graphite. 

Asbestos, 

Ball  clay  and  kaolin. 

Chalk, 

Cobalt. 

Naxos  emery. 

Grinding  pebbles. 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  19 

"3.    Minerals  normally  imported  into  the  United  States  which  in  future  can  be  largely 
produced  from  domestic  sources  if  it  seems  desirable: 
A.  The  following  minerals  were  mainly  imported  before  the  war,  but  under 
war   conditions   the   domestic   resources   have   been    developed   to   such   an 
extent    that    the    United    States    can    become    self-sustaining    if    desirable, 
though  at  so  great  a  cost  that  a  protective  tariff  will  be  necessary  if  these 
industries  are  to  survive: 
Nitrates   (except  potassium  nitrates). 
Potash. 
Manganese. 
Chromite. 
Magnesite. 

"No  attempt  will  be  made  here  to  present  the  detailed  figures  on  which  the  above 
generalizations  are  based.  In  view  of  the  present  disturbance  in  production  and 
consumption,  any  judgment  as  to  future  demands  or  available  surplus  must  take 
into  account  several  factors  which  can  not  be  accurately  measured,  such  as  financial 
control  in  foreign  countries,  possible  tariffs,  and  foreign  ompetition.  For  this  reason 
the  above  statement  should  be  regarded  as  only  tentative,  though  it  is  the  result  of 
a  rather  exhaustive  study  of  conditions  in  relation  to  the  world  control  of  shipping. 
The  classes  named  overlap  to  some  extent,  and  it  is  to  be  expected  that  some  of 
the  commodities  placed  in  one  class  may  in  the  near  future  be  transferred  to 
another. 

"General  Conclusions  as  to  the  International  Control  of  Minerals  from  the  Standpoint 
of  the  United  States. 

"1.  It  is  clear  that  a  league  of  nations  offers  but  little  advantage  as  a  means  of 
insuring  adequate  supplies  for  the  United  States,  and  that  the  limitations  on  the 
distribution  of  exportable  mineral  supplies  would  probably  weigh  more  heavily  on 
the  United  States  than  on  any  other  country.  The  few  minerals  for  which  the 
United  States  is  dependent  on  foreign  countries  are  offset  by  so  many  in  which  we 
have  a  dominance  of  supply  and  our  financial  position  is  so  strong  that  it  appears 
certain  that  the  United  States  does  not  need  the  aid  of  a  league  of  nations  to  insure 
adequate  supplies  even  of  these  few  minerals.  In  short,  in  this  respect  our  entrance 
into  a  league  of  nations  would  not  be  based  on  self-interest.  We  would  sacrifice  to 
some  extent  an  independent  and  dominant  position.  In  our  dealings  with  other 
nations  this  fact  should  give  weight  to  whatever  emphasis  the  United  States  may 
wish  to  put  on  the  desirability  of  international  control  of  minerals.  At  the  same  time 
it  imposes  a  hard  task  on  the  United  States  to  arouse  the  mineral  interests  to  the 
support  of  a  measure  that  involves  so  much  self-sacrifice.  The  value  of  our  annual 
potential  exportable  surplus  of  minerals  approximates  a  billion  dollars;  that  of  our 
necessary  mineral  imports  about  $175,000,000.  Our  active  allies.  Great  Britain, 
France  and  Italy,  together  have  a  maximum  annual  exportable  surplus  worth  perhaps 
$325,000,000,  and  their  necessary  imports  amount  to  $265,000,000. 

"2.  It  seems  clear  that  our  effort  to  make  this  country  entirely  self-sustaining  in 
regard  to  raw  materials,  which  has  been  especially  marked  during  the  war,  will 
need  to  be  modified  if  we  are  to  adapt  ourselves  to  conditions  of  international 
control.  Although  we  may  be  able  to  become  self-sustaining  in  respect  to  essential 
commodities  like  manganese,  chromite,  and  potash,  by  so  doing  we  are  cutting  off 
the  export  market  of  other  countries  where  these  commodities  exist  in  such  quan- 
tities and  grades  that  they  would  be,  under  conditions  of  free  trade,  our  principal 
sources  of  supply.  By  drawing  on  such  sources  we  not  only  get  a  cheaper  and  higher 
grade  of  product,  but  we  develop  a  return  market  for  the  products  in  respect  to  which 
our  natural  advantages  entitle  us  to  a  share  in  the  export  trade.  The  potash  situ- 
ation will  illustrate  the  problem:  The  war  cut  off  German  supplies.  We  made  every 
possible  effort  to  meet  the  deficiency.  Prices  rose  tenfold.  Now,  are  we  to  continue 
this  effort  at  high  cost?  Our  instinctive  answer  is.  Yes,  But  suppose  at  the  peace 
table  it  is  mutually  agreed  that  for  the  welfare  of  France  and  Spain  we  should 
absorb  a  certain  part  of  their  output,  or  even  that  we  should  take  German  potash 
as  an  indirect  way  of  collecting  indemnity?  This  question  is  put  for  the  purpose 
of  making  the  problem  concrete,  and  no  answer  is  attempted  here,  though  I  venture 
to  suggest  that  the  practicable  course  will  be  found  to  lie  between  the  two  extreme 
alternatives. 

"If  all  countries  take  the  stand  that  they  must  be  self-sustaining  in  regard  to 
natural  resources,  they  can  accomplish  their  purpose  only  by  high  artificial  barriers 
to  offset  inequalities  in  the  factors  which  determine  the  availability  of  the  several 
commodities,  with  the  result  that  the  world  movement  of  raw  materials  will  be 
greatly  lessened.  Instead  of  free  circulation  of  essential  basic  commodities  vitalizing 
any  world  agreement  there  will  be  a  series  of  compartments  in  which  trade  is 
maintained  at  different  levels,  under  different  pressures  and  conditions — a  situation 
difficult  to  maintain  and  inimical  to  world  agreements  based  on  mutual  concessions. 
It  is  clear  that  if  each  of  the  states  of  the  United  States  should  adopt  the  principle 
of  making  the  state  self-sustaining  in  minerals  so  far  as  possible,  the  result  would 
be  to  increase  largely  the  chances  of  interstate  friction  and  to  lower  efficiency  in 
the  United  States  as  a  whole. 

"3.  *  *  *  If  the  view  expressed  in  conclusion  2  is  correct.  It  follows  that  the 
United  States,  as  a  member  of  a  league  of  nations,  would  not  be  free  to  impose  tariffs 
dictated  by  national  self-interest  beyond  such  minor  duties  as  might  tend  to  equalize 
the  labor  element  of  cost  of  production.  Also,  when  we  remember  the  remarkable 
degree  to  which  many  of  the  leading  mineral  commodities  are  geographically  concen- 
trated, it  is  clear  that  a  tariff  on  any  particular  commodity  will  usually  affect  mainly 
some  one  or  two  foreign  nations — a  result  which  does  not  accord  with  the  principle 
that  a  state  shall  not  give  to  one  neighbor  privileges  that  it  withholds  from  others. 


20  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

"More  might  be  said  for  a  temporary  tariff  designed  to  let  down  easily,  for 
example,  the  manganese,  chromite,  and  potash  industries,  which  face  large  losses 
because  of  overdevelopment  to  meet  war  needs.  The  Mineral  Act  perhaps  might  be 
used  for  this  purpose.  If  this  principle  were  adopted  for  a  few  minerals,  however, 
It  probably  would  soon  be  extended  to  others  and  into  more  general  nonmineral 
fields,   thereby  presenting  a  problem  of  enormous  difficulty. 

"In  passing,  it  may  be  noted  that  as  long  as  shipping  is  inadequate,  as  it  may  be 
for  some  years,  high  and  slowly  declining  freight  rates  may  serve  much  the  same 
purpose  as  a  tariff  for  low-priced  commodities  of  much  bulk,  like  manganese,  though 
not  for  high-priced  commodities  like  tungsten. 

*  *  4>  *  *  *  * 

"The  question  of  protective  tariffs  is  becoming  acute  at  present,  owing  to  the 
release  of  the  restrictions  imposed  by  the  War  Trade  Board  as  a  means  of  saving 
ships. 

"4.  The  interests  of  conservation  clearly  call  for  an  international  viewpoint  in  the 
handling  of  our  mineral  resources.  The  deposits  of  most  minerals  are  so  highly 
concentrated  in  their  distribution  and  general  availability  that  the  principal  sources 
for  the  world  are  in  comparatively  few  places.  When  all  factors  of  conservation  are 
taken  into  account,  including  labor  and  efficient  use  of  the  product,  it  would  seem 
that  the  minerals  should  be  drawn  from  these  natural  sources  of  supply.  To  illus- 
trate, the  chromite  and  manganese  deposits  of  the  United  States  are  relatively  small 
and  of  low  grade  as  compared  with  other  sources  of  supply.  Insistence  on  the  use 
of  the  domestic  material  would  mean  early  exhaustion  of  local  supplies,  lowered 
efficiency  in  use,  and  higher  cost.  As  cost  includes  not  only  the  intrinsic  value  of  a 
product,  but  items  for  labor  and  transportation,  it  appears  that  the  use  of  these 
domestic  materials  means  a  higher  expenditure  of  human  effort  than  is  necessary. 

"There  is  perhaps  as  much  need  of  specializing  in  mineral  output  as  there  is 
of  specializing  in  manufacturing.  The  thought  that  every  country  on  the  globe  should 
be  self-sustaining  in  regard  to  mineral  supplies  is  of  somewhat  the  same  order  as 
the  thought  that  every  family  should  produce  all  its  own  raw  materials  rather  than 
take  advantage  of  the  more  favorable  conditions  existing  elsewhere  and  so  specialize 
in  human  effort.  If  for  a  certain  amount  of  capital  and  labor  we  can  produce  copper 
more  cheaply  than  any  other  country  and  thus  dominate  the  world's  markets,  it  is 
not  economy  to  divert  this  capital  and  labor  to  the  production  of  ores  of  manganese 
or  chromite,  which  because  of  natural  conditions  can  be  produced  much  more 
cheaply  elsewhere. 

"5.  *  *  *  In  a  world  governed  by  good  will  the  effective  internationalization  of 
trade  might  well  be  gained  by  leaving  trade  unrestricted.  In  proportion  as  the  actual 
condition  may  depart  from  this  ideal  condition,  some  sort  of  international  agreement 
as  to  control  seems  justified.  Such  control  would  by  no  means  eliminate  international 
rivalries  and  jealousies;  it  would  transfer  them  to  the  international  governing  body. 
The  duties  of  such  a  body  would  be  onerous  and  perplexing.  It  might  even  be 
supposed  that  nationalistic  aspirations  might  be  so  strenuously  presented  and  so  firmly 
backed  by  national  steps  in  the  way  of  embargoes  and  protective  tariffs  that  the 
international  control  would  amount  to  little.  But  it  may  be  further  supposed  that 
a  league  of  nations  whose  members  enter  into  it  voluntarily  and  with  mutual  good 
faith  might  control  the  situation  sufficiently  to  bring  recalcitrant  members  into  line. 
The  questions  thus  suggested  are  difficult  to  answer. 

"6.  It  is  sometimes  argued  that  any  attempt  to  control  the  movement  of  raw 
materials,  for  whatever  purpose,  defeats  itself  because  it  leads  to  the  automatic 
development  in  the  restricted  area  of  increased  exploration,  new  sources  of  supply, 
substitutions,  etc.  Restriction  unquestionably  has  this  effect,  but  nevertheless  such 
measures  are  expensive  makeshifts  and  offset  the  effects  of  limitation  only  in 
part,  as  is  clearly  proved  by  the  experiences  of  the  war. 

"7.  The  purpose  of  this  paper  is  primarily  to  state  the  problem  of  international 
control  of  minerals,  rather  than  to  present  an  argument  for  it.  Such  control  entails 
difficulties  which  are  especially  burdensome  on  the  United  States  and  which  at  present 
may  be  insuperable.  The  interests  of  conservation  clearly  require  international 
control.  Moreover,  the  lesson  of  the  war  points  to  the  necessity  of  overhauling  old 
international  understandings  and  machinery,  even  though  such  a  task  would 
encounter  great  difficulties,  not  the  least  of  which  lie  in  the  persistence  of  human 
habits  and  inertia.  Whether  the  time  has  come  to  establish  a  league  of  nations 
with  economic  control  can  be  determined  only  by  our  individual  and  collective 
answers  to  the  question  whether  we  are  willing  to  make  the  necessary  economic 
sacrifices,  individually  and  nationally,  in  the  interest  of  world  harmony.  The  mineral 
industry  should  fully  understand  that  with  international  control  efforts  to  promote 
export  will  need  to  be  modified  and  curtailed;  that  expansion  of  our  trade  in  many 
lines  will  mean  equivalent  loss  of  trade  to  other  nations;  that  the  almost  universal 
conception  that  expansion  of  foreign  trade  is  a  meritorious  aim  and  end  in  itself, 
without  regard  to  its  effect  on  other  countries,  will  need  revision.     *     *     * 

"8.  Whatever  action  may  be  taken  in  regard  to  international  control,  it  is  clear 
that  the  war  has  brought  the  United  States  into  such  world  relations  that  it  has 
become  imperative  for  us  to  study  and  understand  the  world  mineral  situation  much 
more  comprehensively  than  before,  in  the  interest  not  only  of  intelligent  management 
of  our  own  industries  but  of  far-sighted  handling  of  international  relations." 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


21 


CHAPTER  TWO. 

FUELS. 

Among  the  most  important  mineral  products  of  California  are  its 
fuels.  This  subdivision  includes  coal,  natural  gas  and  petroleum,  the 
combined  values  of  which  make  up  over  50%  of  the  state's  entire  mineral 
output. 

There  are  deposits  of  peat  known  in  several  localities  in  California, 
small  amounts  of  which  are  used  as  a  fertilizer ;  but  none  has  as  yet  been 
utilized  for  fuel. 

Comparison  of  values  during  1917  and  1918  is  shown  in  the  following 
table : 


1917 

1918 

Increase+ 
Decrease- 
Value 

Amount 

Value 

Amount 

Value 

Coal  

3,527  tons 
44,343,020  M  cu.  ft. 
95,396,309  barrels 

$7,691 

2,964,922 

86,976,209 

6,343  tons 
46,373,052  M  cu.  ft. 
99,731,177  barrels 

$16,149 

3,289,524 

127,459,221 

$8,458+ 

324,602+ 

40,483.012+ 

Natural  gas 

Total  value 

Net  increase 

$89,948,822 

$130,764,894 

$40,816,072+ 

COAL. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VII,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.  U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bulletins  285,  316,  431,  471,  581;  An.  Rep.  22, 
Pt.  III. 

Coal  has  been  produced  in  California  since  as  early  as  1860,  and  until 
the  development  of  crude  oil  was  an  important  factor  in  the  mineral 
industry  of  the  state.  As  most  of  it  is  lignite,  the  quality  is  generally 
poor  as  compared  with  other  coals  on  the  Pacific  Coast  markets.  How- 
ever, in  competition  with  fuel  oil,  coal  of  all  grades  has  had  to  take 
second  place.  Besides  the  counties  noted  below  as  showing  a  com- 
mercial production,  workable  bodies  of  coal  are  also  known  in  several 
others,  including  Alameda,  Contra  Costa,  Mendocino,  Shasta,  Siskiyou 
and  Riverside.  Some  coal  has  also  been  produced,  in  the  past,  in  Fresno 
and  Orange  counties. 


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STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


23 


During  1918  production  was  reported  from  Amador  and  Monterey 
counties  totaling  6,343  tons,  worth  $16,149.  That  from  the  lone  mine 
in  Amador  County  was  utilized  for  steaming  and  domestic  purposes, 
mainly  locally.  That  produced  at  the  Stone  Canon  property,  Monterey 
County,  was  consumed  at  the  mine  in  keeping  the  mine  open  and  the 
pumps  operating,  none  being  shipped  out  during  1918. 

Tests  have  been  made  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey^  on  some  of  the 
lone  lignite  (because  of  its  resemblance  to  some  oil  shales),  to  determine 
if  it  will  yield  oil  on  destructive  distillation.  Up  to  62  gallons  of  oil 
per  ton  was  obtained  and  also  18  pounds  of  ammonium  sulphate  as  a 
by-product.  The  latter  is  valuable  as  a  fertilizer.  Analyses  showed: 
16%  fixed  carbon,  31%  volatile  matter,  46%  moisture,  7%  ash;  and 
the  heating  value  is  6,060  British  thermal  units. 

The  very  considerable  output  of  coal  in  the  years  previous  to  1883 
was  almost  entirely  from  the  Mount  Diablo  district.  Contra  Costa 
County.  Later,  the  Tesla  mine  in  Corral  Hollow,  Alameda  County,  was 
an  important  producer  for  a  few  years.  The  following  tabulation  gives 
the  annual  tonnages  and  values,  according  to  available  records: 


Coal 

Output  and 

Value  by  Years. 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1861 

6,620 

23,400 

43,200 

50,700 

60,530 

84,020 

124,690 

143,676 

157,234 

141,890 

152,493 

190,859 

186,611 

215,352 

166,638 

128,049 

107,789 

134,237 

147,879 

236,950 

140,000 

112,592 

76,162 

77,485 

71.615 

100,000 

50,000 

95,000 

121,280 

110.711 

$38,065 
134,550 
248,400 
291,525 
348,048 
483,115 
716,968 
826,137 
904,096 
815,868 
876,835 
1,097,439 
1,073.013 
1,238,274 
958,169 
736,282 
619,787 
771,863 
850,304 
1,362,4^3 
805,000 
647,404 
380,810 
309,950 
286,460 
300,000 
150,000 
380,000 
288,232 
283,019 

1891  

93,301 

85,178 

72,603 

59,887 

79,858 

70,649 

87,449 

143,045 

160,941 

176,956 

150,724 

88,460 

93.026 

79,062 

46,500 

24,850 

23,734 

18,496 

49,389 

11,033 

11.047 

14.484 

25.198 

11,859 

10,299 

4.037 

3.527 

6.343 

$204,902 
209,711 
167  555 

1862 

1892  

1863 

1893 

1864 

1894 

139,862 
193  790 

1865 

1895  

1866 

1896  

161,335 

1867    _  -  -_ 

1897  

196,255 
337,475 

1868 

1898  _ _ 

1869 

1899  .__ 

420,109 

1870 

1900 

535  531 

1871 

1901  

401,772 

1872 

1902  _ 

248622 

1873 

1903  

265^383 

1874 

1904  

376,494 

1875   

1905  

144,500 

1876 

1906  

61,600 

1877    

1907  

55,849 

1878 

1908  

55,503 

1879 

1909  

216,913 

1880 __  __ 

1910  

23,484 

1881 

1911  __ 

18,297 

1882  

1912  

39,092 

1883 

1913 

85,809 

1884 

1914  „_ 

28,806 

1885 

1915  

26,662 
7,080 

1886 

1916 

1887   

1917  

7,691 

1888 

1918  .- 

16,149 

1889 

Totals. ___ 

1890 

5.159,597 

$22,868,257 

The  tonnage  in  the  above  table  lor  the  years  1861-1886  (incl.)  are  taken  from  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey,  "Mineral  Resources  of  the  U.  S.,  1910,"  p.  107.  ITie  values  assigned  for  the 
years  previous  to  1883  are  those  given  by  W.  A.  Goodyear  (Mineral  Res.,  1882,  pp.  93-^),  being  an 
average  of  $5.75  per  ton.  From  1887  to  date  the  figures  are  those  of  the  California  State  Mining 
Bureau. 


»U.  S.  Geol.  Sunr.,  Press  Bulletin  No.  402,  March,  1919. 


24  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

NATURAL  GAS. 

Bibliography:   State   Mineralogist  Reports  VII,   X,   XII,   XIII, 
XIV.     Bulletins  3,  16,  19,  69,  73. 

Statistics  on  the  production  of  natural  gas  in  California  are  in  a  con- 
siderable degree  difficult  to  arrive  at,  as  much  of  it  that  is  utilized 
directly  at  the  wells  for  heating,  lighting,  and  driving  gas  engines  is 
not  measured.  Hence,  it  is  necessary  to  approximate  the  output  of 
many  of  the  operators  in  the  oil  fields. 

The  figures  here  given  are  certainly  far  below  the  actual  production, 
particularly  in  the  six  oil-producing  counties.  It  is  an  exceptional  oil 
property  where  gas  in  some  quantity  does  not  occur.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered that  several  of  our  important  oil  fields  are  removed  many  miles 
from  the  site  of  any  other  industry,  and  that  the  gathering  of  small 
amounts  of  gas  and  transporting  it  for  any  considerable  distance  may 
not  always  be  profitable.  However,  it  is  undoubtedly  a  fact  that  greater 
saving  can  frequently  be  made  with  profit.  Gas  traps  of  various  size 
and  design  are  coming  into  more  frequent  use.  Some  large  operators 
are  making  commendable  efforts  to  conserve  the  gas  which  accompanies 
oil  and  is  richer  than  the  so-called  ^dry  gas'  occurring  in  strata  which 
do  not  produce  oil.  As  far  as  possible,  casing-head  gas  is  used  in  driving 
gas  engines  for  pumping  and  drilling,  and  in  firing  the  boilers  of  steam- 
driven  plants. 

The  latest  natural  gas  development  (June,  1919)  in  California  is  the 
bringing  in  of  two  large  dry-gas  producers  by  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
pany in  the  Elk  Hills  in  western  Kern  County.  One  of  these,  *No.  5,' 
was  drilled  to  a  certain  stratum  on  the  advice  of  the  State  Oil  and  Gas 
Supervisor,  though  the  company  officials  were  skeptical.  It  came  in  at 
an  estimated  flow  of  30,000,000  cubic  feet  per  24  hours. 

Several  counties  produce  gas  which  is  not  accompanied  by  oil,  partic- 
ularly Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin,  where  it  is  mixed  with  manufac- 
tured gas  for  domestic  service. 

The  value  of  gas  as  here  shown  may  be  open  to  some  question,  but  is 
certainly  not  too  high,  as  regards  the  oil  counties.  The  average  price 
there  is  about  5^-8^  per  1,000  cubic  feet.  Approximately  7,000  cu.  ft. 
of  gas  is  equal  to  one  barrel  of  oil  in  heating  value,  and  is  so  accounted 
for  by  many  operators.  In  driving  gas  engines,  about  4,000  cu.  ft.  per 
24  hr.  are  consumed  by  a  25  h.p.  engine,  and  63,700  cu.  ft.  per  day  for 
heating  a  70  h.p.  steam  boiler,  which  figures  have  been  used  in  compiling 
this  report. 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 
Natural  Gas,  1918. 


25 


County 


M  cubic  feet      Value 


Fresno  - — 

Kern 

Kings    

Los  Angeles 

Orange _— 

San  Joaquin  _ 

Santa  Barbara 

Ventura 

Butte,  Humboldt,  Lake,  Sacramento,  and  Solano* 

Totals— 


5,009,327 

23,545,128 

2,460 

2,088,959 

10,420,171 

202,453 

4,150,316 

858,457 

95.781 


$267,123 

1,507.912 

590 

224.279 

693,169 

60.405 

338.036 

150,885 

47,125 


46.373,052 


$3,289,524 


♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  an  individual  producer  In  each. 

The  annual  production  of  natural  gas  in  California  since  1888  is  as 
follows : 


Tear 

Value 

Year 

Value 

1888 

$10,000 
12,680 
33,000 
30,000 
55,000 
68.500 
79,072 
112,000 
111,457 
62,657 
74.424 
95,000 
34,578 
92,034 
99,443 
74,237 
91,035 

1905        

$102,479 

1889                        -  _      _ 

1906 

109,489 

1890 _ 

1907        ^           

114.759 

1891  

1908             

474,584 

1892 

1909           __ 

616,932 

1893 

1910              - 

1,676,367 

1894  

1911                __ 

491,859 

1895 

1912        

940,076 

1896  

1913       _        _    ___ 

1,053,292 

1897 

1914        ^           _ 

1,049,470 

1898 

1915             _ 

1.706,480 

1899 _    _ 

1916          _ - _ 

2,871,751 

1900 

1917                  _ 

2,964,922 

1901  __ 

1918             

3,289,524 

1902 

Total    - 

1903 

$18,597,101 

1904  

Gasoline  from  Natural  Gas. 

As  above  indicated,  more  or  less  gas  usually  accompanies  the  petroleum 
in  the  oil  fields.  Approximately  50  plants  are  in  operation  manufac- 
turing gasoline  by  compression  or  absorption  from  this  'casing-head 
gas.'  After  the  gasoline  is  extracted,  the  remaining  'dry  gas'  is 
taken  into  the  pipe  lines,  by  which  it  is  distributed  to  consumers,  both 
domestic  and  commercial. 

In  the  Midway  field,  some  of  the  casing-head  gasoline  is  obtained  as 
an  incidental  product  to  the  compressing  of  the  natural  gas  preliminary 
to  transmission  through  the  gas  pipe  lines.  Some  concerns  market 
casing-head  gasoline  separately,  while  others  turn  it  into  the  oil  pipe 
lines,  thus  mixing  this  high-gravity  gasoline  with  the  crude  oil  for 
transportation  to  the  refinery,  where  it  is  later  regained.  A  total  of 
at  least  20,900,400  gallons  of  casing-head  gasoline  from  all  fields  was 


26  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OP   CALIFORNIA. 

made  during  1918  and  utilized  directly  as  such.  Kern  County  led  in 
this  output  with  a  total  of  8,594,878  gallons  reported,  Santa  Barbara 
being  second  with  6,803,072  gallons. 

The  largest  natural  gas  field  of  commercial  importance  thus  far 
developed  in  California  is  in  the  Midway  district,  followed  by  Orange, 
Fresno,  Santa  Barbara,  and  Los  Angeles  counties.  The  Southern 
California  Gas  Company  operates  a  12-inch  pipe  line  from  the  Midway 
field,  a  distance  of  107  miles,  to  Los  Angeles,  where  it  supplies  gas  to 
local  distributing  companies.  The  Valley  Natural  Gas  Company  sup- 
plies gas  to  consumers  in  the  Midway  field  and  to  local  distributing 
companies  at  Fellows,  Taft,  Maricopa,  Bakersfield,  and  the  Kern  River 
fields.  The  Santa  Maria  Gas  and  Power  Company  distributes  gas 
around  Santa  Maria,  from  wells  in  the  neighboring  oil  fields. 

PETROLEUM. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  VII,  X,  XII,  XIII. 
Bulletins  3,  11,  16,  19,  31,  32,  63,  69,  73,  82,  84. 

Chief  of  the  fuels  of  California  is  petroleum.  A  complete  descrip- 
tion of  the  industry  is  to  be  found  in  Bulletin  69,  issued  in  1915  by  the 
State  Mining  Bureau ;  supplemented  by  Bulletins  73,  82  and  84,  annual 
reports  of  the  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor,  1915-1918.  The  state  law  pro- 
viding for  the  regulation  of  drilling  and  maintenance  of  oil  and  gas 
wells  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  has  been  in  effect  since  1915.  The 
chief  aim  is  to  protect  the  oil  deposits  from  damage  by  water,  and 
to  aid  producers  in  their  work.  A  staff  of  technically  trained  men 
maintain  offices  in  the  various  fields. 

The  oil  production  for  California  for  1918,  as  determined  from  the 
sworn  statements  made  to  the  State  Mineralogist  for  the  Department  of 
Petroleum  and  Gas,  by  the  producers  from  8,188  wells  (exclusive  of 
the  Los  Angeles  City  field)  amounted  to  99,459,177  barrels  net.  'Net* 
means  that  a  deduction  of  approximately  2%  has  been  made  for  water. 
The  oil  consumed  for  fuel  at  the  wells  is  this  year  included.  This 
shows  an  increase  of  5,025,630  barrels  from  the  net  figures  for  1917. 
When  the  same  deductions  for  water  and  fuel  have  been  made  from  the 
figures  already  published  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company  and  the  Inde- 
pendent Oil  Producers  Agency,  it  will  be  seen  that  they  are  in  fair 
agreement  with  the  99,459,177  barrels  above  recorded. 

To  the  above  amount,  we  have  here  added  272,000  barrels  net  output 

of  the  Los  Angeles  City  field,  making  a  total  for  the  year  1918  of 

99,731,177  barrels,  valued  at  $127,459,221.     Compared  with  1917,  this 

is  an  increase  of  4,335,868  barrels  in  quantity,  and  of  $40,483,012  in 

value.     This  great  advance  in  value  is  due  to  the  continued  increase  in 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  27 

the  average  price  per  barrel  for  all  fields  and  grades  which  began  in 

1916,  as  will  be  seen  in  one  of  the  tables^  following.  The  total  or 
average  figures  on  price  may  be  open  to  some  question,  as  it  must  be 
remembered  that  a  large  portion  of  the  crude  oil  does  not  enter  the 
open  market,  but  is  consumed  or  refined  directly  by  the  producers.  The 
prices  given  are  for  oil  which  is  actually  sold,  and  are  known  to  be 
accurate. 

Features  of  1918. 

The  principal  features  are :  the  decrease  of  approximately  4,000,000 
barrels  in  the  output  of  Kern  County ;  and  increases  of  5,455,607  barrels 
in  Los  Angeles  County,  1,702,541  barrels  in  Santa  Barbara,  1,049,661 
barrels  in  Orange,  and  342,841  barrels  in  Ventura.  Fresno  County 
showed  a  slight  decrease  in  quantity.  That  there  was  not  a  greater 
quantity  increase  is  due  to  the  marked  falling  off  in  drilling  operations 
as  compared  with  the  year  1917.  The  records  of  the  Department  of 
Petroleum  and  Gas  show  an  increase  in  the  number  of  producing  wells 
in  1917  over  1916  of  961,  whereas  1918  increased  only  354  wells  over 

1917.  Were  it  not  for  the  fortunate  developments  of  the  past  two 
years  in  the  new  Montebello  and  Casmalia  fields,  the  state  would  now 
be  facing  a  serious  decrease  in  production. 

The  decrease  in  Kern  County  is  due  in  large  part  to  the  continued 
uncertainty  resulting  from  the  Federal  suits.  The  failure  of  the  Oil 
Land  Leasing  Bill  of  passage  through  Congress  last  winter  was  a  great 
disappointment,  even  though  the  bill  as  drawn  was  not  all  that  could 
have  been  desired,  in  justice,  by  the  California  operators  concerned. 
The  following  is  quoted  from  a  recent  press  bulletin  of  the  Department 
of  Petroleum  and  Gas  :^ 

"Figures  compiled  by  McLaughlin  some  three  years  ago,  but  probably  still  approx- 
imately correct,  showed  title  clouded,  by  withdrawals,  on  19,745  acres  of  proved  oil 
lands.  The  lands  then  contained  653  wells,  representing  an  expenditure  of  nearly 
eighteen  million  dollars. 

"The  foregoing  figures  included  5,710  acres  of  proved  land  within  Naval  Reserve 
No.  2,  containing  75  wells,  representing  a  total  expenditure  of  over  three  million 
dollars. 

"The  total  oil  production  from  the  lands  in  question  amounted,  at  the  time  of 
compilation,  to  76,382,644  bbl.,  of  which  18,068,600  bbls.  had  been  taken  from  lands 
within  the  Naval  Reserve. 

"In  Naval  Reserve  No.  1,  in  the  Elk  Hills,  some  43  wells  of  various  depths  had 
been  drilled  at  an  expenditure  of  over  a  million  and  a  quarter  dollars.  Little  or  no 
oil  was  produced  from  these  wells. 

"The  question  of  settlement  of  titles  to  these  lands.  Involving  over. one  hundred 
claimants,  has  been  pressed  before  Congress  for  about  nine  years.  Unquestionably 
many  operators,  who  spent  money  in  entirely  good  faith,  have  been  seriously  injured 
by  the  delay.  The  reference  in  the  report  to  'fraudulent  claims'  indicates  that  the 
delay  in  handling  just  claims  has,  to  no  small  extent,  been  caused  by  the  insistence 
with  which  others  have  been  presented." 

California,  as  well  as  the  Pacific  Coast  region  generally,  is  vitally 
interested  in  the  petroleum  resources  of  the  State.  Wartime  activity 
and  subsequent  efforts  to  readjust  industrial  conditions  have  recently 
brought  the  subject  into  prominence.     The  State  Mining  Bureau  has 

^See  page  31,  post. 

"Weekly  Press  Bulletin,  No.  172,  February  8,  1919. 


28  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

for  several  years  given  particular  attention  to  making  a  detailed  inven- 
tory of  the  petroleum  resources  and  of  production  methods. 

Wasting  Resources. 

Public  attention  has  been  called  to  the  fact  that  great  and  unjusti- 
fiable waste  is  going  on.  Such  statements  are  occasionally  discounted 
in  some  quarters  on  the  ground  that  observations  confined  to  a  single 
state  may  be  too  limited.  It  is  therefore  interesting  to  note  what 
attention  has  been  given  to  the  subject  in  a  National  way. 

A  bulletin  published  in  November,  1918,  by  the  United  States  National 
Museum  at  Washington,  D.  C,  reviews  the  petroleum  resources  and  the 
industry.     Some  of  the  striking  statements  are  as  follows : 

"In  the  production  of  other  raw  materials  there  are  no  such  conspicuous  wastes 
as  characterize  the  production  of  petroleum." 

"By  and  large  the  situation  in  the  United  States  is  this:  It  costs  a  good  deal  to 
reach  oil,  but  little  or  nothing  to  produce  it.  When  reached,  the  oil  must  be  pro- 
duced as  rapidly  as  possible,  else  someone  else  will  get  it.  There  is  an  unlimited 
demand  for  the  crude  product,  with  profit  in  such  sale." 

"In  the  case  of  continued  laissez-faire  (policy),  we  may  expect  to  be  confronted, 
some  15  or  20  years  hence,  with  the  discomforting  realization  that  our  domestic 
resource  has  been  impoverished,  a  dependence  upon  a  foreign  country  has  developed, 
and  the  opportunity  for  betterment  has  passed — wasted.  This  is  a  simple  matter 
of  arithmetic,  not  an  adventure  in  prophecy." 

"The  far  west  must  either  turn  to  coal,  hauling  much  of  it  long  distances,  or  else 
develop  cheap  electric  energy  from  the  streams  of  the  Sierra  and  Coast  ranges.  It 
so  happens,  however,  that  over  one-third  of  the  water  power  of  the  country  is  to 
be  found  in  the  states  of  California,  Oregon  and  Washington,  ready  to  release  oil 
from  its  crudest  use  as  soon  as  adequate  policy  of  national  water-power  adminis- 
tration comes  into  play." 

Stability  of  the  Oil  Business. 

The  stability  of  the  oil  business  in  California  is  not  as  well  recognized 
as  the  facts  warrant.  Popular  misconception  probably  arises  from  the 
fact  that  the  most  hazardous  feature  of  the  business,  that  is,  wildcatting 
or  prospecting,  is  spectacular,  makes  excellent  advertising  copy,  and 
therefore  attracts  widespread  attention.  It  should  be  more  generally 
understood  that  there  is  a  large  acreage  of  proved  oil  land  in  the  state 
upon  which  operations  are  constantly  carried  on  with  fairly  uniform 
financial  results. 

Figures  compiled  by  State  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor  R.  P.  McLaughlin 
from  publications  and  records  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  show  that 
during  the  last  four  years  the  acreage  of  proved  oil  land  has  increased 
by  23  per  cent,  or  to  a  total  of  89,212  acres.  The  number  of  producing 
wells  has  increased  by  32%  during  the  same  period.  There  still 
remains  a  considerable  margin  of  undrilled  but  proved  oil  land,  as  the 
1918  figures  indicate  an  average  of  10.9  acres  per  producing  well, 
whereas  a  figure  of  8  acres  would  still  be  a  safe  average. 

Remarkable  uniformity  of  results  is  shown  by  comparison  of  the 
total  market  value  of  oil  with  the  total  amounts  paid  out  as  dividends. 
During  the  past  10  years  the  total  market  value  of  oil  at  the  well  has 
amounted  to  $563,933,888,  while  dividends  have  been  paid  by  both  pro- 
ducing and  marketing  concerns  amounting  to  $204,551,564,  or  36.3^ 


STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  29 

of  the  total  value.  The  large  amounts  of  oil  produced  and  consumed 
directly  by  railroad  companies  enter  into  the  figures  for  total  market 
value,  but  do  not  appear  with  the  dividends. 

The  total  capitalization  of  all  oil  companies  considered,  for  the  year 
1918,  numbering  320,  is  $361,566,769,  and  the  dividends  in  1918  were  at 
the  rate  of  7.6%.  The  capitalization  of  the  smaller  and  purely  pro- 
ducing companies  is  $161,425,494,  and  the  1918  dividend  rate  was  5.0%. 
The  1917  rates  were  16.9%  and  6.9%  respectively.  The  added  profits 
attending  marketing  and  refining  are  therefore  considerable. 

The  smaller  companies  which  merely  produce  oil  and  sell  it  in  a  crude 
state,  at  the  wells,  have  paid  out  $55,830,031  in  dividends  since  1909, 
which  is  27.3%  of  the  total  dividends.  These  smaller  companies  at 
present  produce  about  28  per  cent  of  the  total  oil,  and  own  or  control 
about  35  per  cent  of  the  proved  acreage. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  larger  companies  are  constantly  enlarging 
their  holdings,  by  purchase  from  smaller  concerns,  there  has  also  been 
a  constant  increase  in  the  number  of  small  companies  paying  dividends. 
In  1909  there  w^ere  65  such  companies,  and  in  1918  there  were  155. 

Crude  Oil  Prices. 

The  average  price  of  crude  oil  bears  a  fairly  constant  relation  to 
the  amounts  paid  out  as  dividends.  From  1909  until  1918  inclusive, 
the  average  value  of  crude  oil  was  63.5^  per  barrel,  while  the  total 
dividends  have  averaged  about  23^  per  barrel  of  total  production. 
Throughout  that  period  prices  have  fluctuated  between  the  limits  of 
48^  and  $1.28,  but  the  total  dividends  have  each  year,  except  1918, 
been  at  a  rate  of  about  33^  per  barrel  less  than  the  average  market  price. 

"The  average  prices,  shown  by  statistics  of  past  operations,  are  with  difficulty 
compared  with  published  quotations  which  vary  with  the  gravity  of  oil,  and  are 
also  subject  to  frequent  change.  However,  the  quotations  of  the  Standard  Oil 
Company  for  24  gravity  oil  from  the  San  Joaquin  fields  appear  to  have  closely 
followed  the  average  market  price.  It  would,  of  course,  be  well  to  determine  the 
factors  which  control  the  market  quotations.  Such  a  problem  is  complex,  but  it 
will  be  noted  that  during  the  past  four  years  the  quotations  of  the  Standard  Oil 
Company  have  reacted  in  a  fairly  uniform  manner,  and,  inversely,  with  the  amount 
of  oil  actually  reported  as  in  storage. 

"The  fact  that  the  general  public  has  not  thoroughly  recognized  the  stability  of 
the  California  oil  industry  is  no  doubt  due,  to  a  very  considerable  extent,  to  the 
fact  that  many  large  operators  have  had  too  limited  a  view  of  the  value  of  their 
own  oil  land  assets.  Men  who  have  been  successful  in  finding  new  oil  fields  fre- 
quently do  not  concern  themselves  with  the  later  details  of  development.  The  idea 
has  been  too  prevalent  that  profits  must  be  quickly  seized,  regardless  of  the  ultimate 
value  of  the  property,  and  in  many  instances  properties  have  been  injured  by  careless 
operations.  Some  of  the  largest  oil  producers  in  the  state  have  operated  along  such 
lines.  This  condition  is  clearly  and  definitely  brought  out  by  facts  collected  by  the 
engineering  staff  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  during  the  past  year  in  the  testing  of 
water  shut-off  at  new  wells.  The  average  efficiency  of  the  small  concerns  in  this 
very  important  operation  was  91  per  cent  while  that  of  the  large  concerns  was 
only  80  per  cent.  In  fact  only  one  large  scale  operator,  the  Shell  Company  of 
California,  showed  results  equaling  or  excelling  the  average  figure  for  the  small 
companies;  and  one  of  the  very  largest  producers,  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  actually 
showed  an  efficiency  of  only  71  per  cent. 

OM  Land  Ownership. 

"One  of  the  principal  accomplishments  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  during  the 
past  three  years  has  been  the  introduction  of  up-to-date  engineering  methods  into 
the  operating  organizations  of  many  of  the  producing  companies.  Only  two  or  three 
large  companies  still  attempt  to  develop  their  lands  by  rule-of-thumb  methods  and 
empower  their  legal  departments  to  resist  the  recommendations  and  regulations 
provided  by  the  state  law,  which  are  based  on  careful  engineering:  Investigations. 


30 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


10 


60 
^30 


20 


|L30 

•11.25 


^ 


I 


'I.OO 


-75 


•50 


-2P 


r>?>^/ja  ix/hce 


.  -..-«.. 


/necJ/i 


444444- 


vela 


i 


5fc(J7ih/x/0/(CoJQuqM    2f'B 


I 


^fock  m pAxess\o/, 


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/9/4  /9/S  /9/5         /9/7 

Chart  Showing  Relative  Positions  of 

Average  Price.24*B. Quotations  &  Oil  in  Storage  I9l4-I918(lndusive] 

Compiled  1^^  R.P.MfLanghlin  •  CAUFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU  •  Accompanyirig  Bulletin  NaE 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


31 


"A  comparison  of  the  present  ownership  of  proved  oil  lands  with  that  of  four 
years  ago  still  shows  that  there  is  no  monopoly,  although  65  per  cent  of  the  lands 
are  held  by  only  nine  companies,  and  72  per  cent  of  the  oil  is  produced  by  them.  The 
land  ownership  and  percentage  of  the  total  oil  production  by  the  larger  concerns 
is  shown  in  the  following  tabulation  of  the  1917  data: 


Operator 


Per  cent  of 
total  oil 


Proved 
land,  acres 


Number 
wells 


Associated  Oil  Company 

Dolieny  (various  companies) 

General  Petroleum  Corporation 

Honolulu  Consolidated  Oil  Company 

Atchison,   Topeka    and   Santa   Fe   Railway    (oil 

subsidiaries)    

Shell  Company  of  California 

Southern  Pacific  Company  (fuel  oil  dept.) 

Standard  Oil  Company 

Union  Oil  Company  of  California 

All  others  _„ 

Totals 


9.1 
7.3 
4.3 
1.3 

4-0 
6.8 
8.5 

22.6 
8.1 

28.0 


7,347 
4,286 
2,584 
2,701 

3,097 
2,442 

18,267 
8,187 
8,198 

30,171 


1.048 

379 

400 

35 

412 
236 
681 
771 
427 
3,381 


100.0 


87,280 


7,770 


"In  the  early  part  of  the  year,  1918,  it  will  be  remembered  that  there  were 
frequent  panicky  and  pessimistic  statements  relative  to  decreasing  stocks  of  oil, 
together  with  various  special  pleas  for  the  removal  of  various  governmental  regu- 
lations and  restrictions.  The  State  Mining  Bureau  each  week  regularly  furnishes 
the  public,  through  the  newspapers,  with  complete  statements  of  oil  field  activity, 
together  with  such  general  information  as  the  facts  justify.  During  the  past  year 
these  statements  have  pointed  out  that  production  was  increasing,  or  at  least  holding 
its  own,  in  the  face  of  decreased  field  activity,  and  that  decrease  of  stored  oil  was 
due  to  increased  industrial  activity.  There  is  not  an  unlimited  supply  of  oil,  and 
industrial  demands  for  power  can  not  always  be  met  with  oil." 

Production  Figures. 

The  following  table  gives  the  production  by  counties  for  1918,  com- 
pared with  the  1917  figures: 


Production  and  Value  of  Oil  by  Counties. 


1917 

1918 

County 

Barrels 

Value 

Barrels 

Value 

Fresno  

Kern    

Los  Angeles 

Orange  

San  Luis  Obispo. 
Santa  Barbara  _„ 

Santa  Clara  

Ventura   

Totals- 

♦See  p.  26,  ante. 


16,259.797  I 

53.065,066 

4,669,583  | 

14,680,801  i 

74,143  i 

5,631,563  ; 

18,855  : 

996,501  : 


$13,414,333 

47,387,104 

5,491,430 

14,724,843 

68,656 

4,550,303 

26,152 

1,313,388 


16,068.919 

49,049,917 

10,125,190 

15,730,462 

62,744 

7,334.104 

20,499 

1,339,342 


95,396,309  I    $86,976,209      *99,731,177    $127,459,221 


$19,138,083 

61,410,496 

13,567,755 

22,211,412 

56,783 

9,057,618 

34,848 

1,982,226 


Average  Price  of  Oil,  by  Counties,  1 

n  Cents 

per  Barrel. 

County 

1914 

1915 

1918 

1917 

1918 

Fresno 

45.2^ 
40.9^ 
55.0^ 
67.5^ 

54.50 
42.30 
62.90 
51.20 

51.60 
64.10 
65.10 
66.30 
45.00 
79.40 
66.60 
104.50 

82.50 

89.30 

117.60 

100.30 

92.60 

80.80 

138.70 

131.80 

$1,191 

Kern                                    -         _       

1.252 

Los  Angeles                    - 

1.340 

Orange  

1.412 

San  Luis  Obispo 

1      0.905 

Santa  Barbara  

46.0^ 

53.0^ 

105.0^ 

61.10 
66.60 
85.50 

'      1.235 

Santa  Clara 

1.700 

Ventura  

1.480 

State  average _ _ __ 

46.10 

47.90 

63.60 

90.80 

$1,278 

32 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


The  annual  production  since  discovery  in  1875  is  as  follows : 


Tear 


1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1806 
1897 


Barrels 


175,000 

12,000 

13.000 

15,227 

19,858 

40.552 

99.862 

128.636 

142.857 

262,000 

325,000 

377.145 

678,572 

690,333 

303,220 

307,360 

323,600 

385,049 

470.179 

783.078 

1,245,339 

1.257.780 

1,911,569 


Year 

Bairtis 

1898  _ 

1899  __ 

1900  __ 

leoi  -.. 

1902 __ 

1903  

1904  „_ 

1905  _- 

2,249,088 

2,677,875 

4,319,950 

7,710.315 

14,356,910 

24,340,839 

29.736.003 

34,275,701 

1906  

1907  — _- , 

1908  

1909  

1910  -  - 

32,624,000 
40,311.171 
48,306,910 
58,191.723 
77  697  568 

1911   

1912  __„ 

84.648,157 
89,689,250 

1913  __      _ 

98,494,532 

1914  >.__ 

1915  

1916 .._ 

1917  

1918 ._._ _ 

102,881,907 
91,146,620 
90,262,557 
95,396,309 
99,731,177 

Total- _ __ 

1.139.015.778 

The  total  value  since  1887  is  as  follows : 


Tear 

Value 

1887-1909   

$1B6, 693,228 

1910 - 

37,689,542 

1911 

40,552,088 

1912 _ 

41,868,344 

1913 , _.. 

48,578,014 

1914 

47,487,109 

1915 

43,503,837 

1916 _ 

57,421,334 

1917  —- _ _„_ .._. 

1918 _ _ 

86,976.209 
127,459,221 

Total  __    -  _          _              

$668,228,929 

STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


33 


The  following  table  shows  the  distribution  by  fields  of  the  1918 
output,  compared  with  1917,  as  given  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company: 


Production  by  Fields.* 
(In   Barrels  of  42  Gallons.) 


Field 


1917 


1918 


Kern  River  

McKittrick 

Midway-Sunset 

Lost  Hills-Belridge 

Coalinga   

Lompoc  and  Santa  Maria 

Ventura  County  and  Newhall. 

Los  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake 

Whittier-Fullerton  

Summerland 

Watsonville 


8,495,610 

7,921,515 

3,252,544 

3,050,627 

36,560,145 

34,048.933 

6,295,329 

5,420.079 

15,938,543 

16.283.066 

5,798,070 

7,143,750 

1,186,407 

1,386,518 

1,501,799 

1,397,781 

18,155,440 

24,903,613 

56,570 

54,613 

27,375 

27.375 

Totals  - 
Net  increase 


97,267,832      101,637,870 
!       4,370,038 


♦Standard  Oil  Bulletin,  January,  1919. 

The  following  table  is  compiled  from  the  monthly  statements  con- 
tained in  the  Standard  Oil  Bulletin : 

Well  Operations,  by  Fields,  1918. 


Field 


¥ 


Producing 

December, 

1917 

Producing 

December, 

1918 

Completed 

Aban- 
doned 

1,969 

1,996 
333 

2,208 
535 

1,140 
343 
456 
G64 
784 
142 
5 

30 
18 

220 
47 

105 
45 
33 

309 
1,997 
485 
1,038 
300 
451 
683 

1 

10 

3 

24 

1 
3 

704 
112 

91 

8 

5 

8,053 

8,606 

589 

50 

Kern  River 

McKittrick  

Midway-Sunset 

Lost  Hills-Belridge 

Coalinga  

Lompoc  and  Santa  Maria 

Ventura  County  and  Newhall 
Los  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake___ 

Whittier-Fullerton  

Summerland 

Watsonville  ___. 

Totals 


The  proportion  of  heavy  and  light  oil  produced  in  the  various  fields 
is  shown  by  the  following  figures,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  the 
Standard  Oil  Company.  Oil  below  18°  Baume  may  be  considered  as 
largely  unrefinable,  or  fuel  oil;  while  the  lighter  oils  yield  varying 
amounts  of  refined  products  and  a  very  large  proportion  of  residuum 
and  fuel  oil.  A  few  years  ago,  the  total  amount  of  heavy  oil  was  in 
excess  of  the  light  oil. 


3-47382 


34 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 
Production  of  Light  and  Heavy  Oil,  by  Fields,  1918. 


Field 


Under  18° 
(barrels) 


18°  and  over 
(barrels) 


Total 
(barrels) 


Kern  River 

McKittriek 

Midway-Sunset  

Lost  Hills-Belridge 

Coalinga 

Lompoc  and  Santa  Maria 

Ventura  County  and  Newhall. 

Los  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake 

Whittier-Fullerton 

Summerland _. 

Watsonville 


7,921,515 
3,050,627 
10,176,262 
1,676,888 
5,658,799 
3,531,290 

91,508 

1,158,800 

457,643 

54,613 


Totals. 


33,777,945 


23,872,671 
3,743,191 

10,624,267 

3,612,460 

1,295,010 

238,981 

24,445,970 


27,375 


7,921,515 
3,050,627 

34,048,933 
5,420,079 

16,283,066 
7,143,750 
1,386,518 
1,397,781 

24,903,613 
54,613 
27,375 


67,859,925 


101,637,870 


In  addition  to  consuming  the  current  production  of  crude  oil,  the 
storage  was  drawn  upon  at  an  average  rate  of  nearly  34,000  barrels 
per  month  during  1918.  This  is  considerably  less,  however,  than  the 
1917  rate  of  1,000,000  barrels  monthly.  According  to  the  Standard 
Oil  Company^  the  stocks  on  hand  December  31,  1918,  amounted  to 
32,042,923  barrels,  a  decrease  of  407,542  barrels  from  the  32,450,465 
barrels  on  hand  December  31,  1917. 

Financial  and  Operating  Condition  of  California  Oil  Fields^  1918. 

Financial  results  of  the  oil  business  during  1918,  are  shown  by  the 
following  tables.  The  outstanding  features  are:  1.  the  substantial 
increase  of  prices  for  all  grades  over  the  1917  figures ;  2.  a  decrease  in 
most  of  the  fields  in  the  number  of  barrels  per  well  per  day  yield ;  3.  an 
increase  in  operating  costs  per  barrel,  resulting  in  raising  the  cost  per 
well  per  day. 

Increases  were  registered  in  the  number  of  barrels-per-well-per-day 
yield  in  Santa  Barbara  and  Ventura  counties,  the  former  on  account 
of  new  developments  in  the  Casmalia  field,  and  the  latter  from  scattered 
new  production  in  several  small  fields.  The  apparent  decrease  in  the 
Los  Angeles-Orange  yield  per-well-per-day  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
1917  figure  is  really  a  freak  figure  resulting  from  the  initial  gusher 
production  in  the  Montebello  field.  The  figures  for  the  three  years 
1916-1918  inclusive :  15.9,  30.5,  and  21.3,  respectively — show  that  there 
is  actually  a  net  increase,  the  credit  for  which  is  due,  of  course,  to 
the  Montebello  field. 

Another  interesting  feature  is  that  the  Kern  River  field  shows  a 
fractional  increase  in  the  yield  per-well-per-day,  which  means  that  that 
field  is  holding  its  own.  This  is  no  doubt  in  large  part  due  to  the  cor- 
rective measures  being  taken  in  the  systematic  repairing  of  old  wells 
against  water  encroachment,  as  indicated  in  a  recent  press  bulletin* 


•standard  Oil  Bulletin,  January,  1919. 
*Weekly  Press  Bulletin  No.  180,  April  5,  1919. 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


3$ 


of  the  Department  of  Petroleum  and  Gas  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau. 
Portions  of  this  field  are  among  the  worst  water-flooded  in  the  state. 
Systematic  repair  work  was  begun  there  in  1918,  under  the  super- 
vision of  this  department.  Results  following  such  repairs  indicate  that 
the  production  of  oil  can  be  nearly  or  quite  doubled,  if  proper  steps 
are  taken  to  stop  the  flow  of  water ;  but  this  work  can  properly  be  pur- 
sued only  after  thorough  engineering  investigation  of  the  underground 
conditions,  covering  not  only  the  particular  property  involved  but  all 
neighboring  properties. 

The  profitable,  or  dividend-paying  companies  received  in  the  main  a 
slightly  higher  figure  for  their  product  than  the  average  market  price, 
probably  due  to  the  higher  grade  of  oil  produced  by  them.  It  is  also 
noticeable  that  their  production  cost  per  barrel  is  usually  lower  than 
the  average,  due  to  the  fact  that  their  wells  are  more  productive.  Oper- 
ating cost  per  well  is  not  always  lower  for  the  dividend  companies  than 
others.  Profitable  operations  seem  to  depend  generally  upon  large 
wells,  high-grade  oil,  and  proximity  to  market.  There  is  nothing  to 
indicate  that  unnatural  causes  or  manipulations  have  affected  the  profits 
of  one  producer  against  another.  It  may  be  noted  that  both  price 
and  profits  have  usually  been  greater  in  the  Los  Angeles- Orange- Ven- 
tura fields  than  in  others,  doubtless  largely  due  to  the  proximity  to 
market  and  higher  grades  of  oil.  Crude  oil  testing  as  high  as  56° 
Baume  is  being  obtained  from  some  of  the  Ventura  County  wells. 


Capitalization. 


Field 


No.  of 
companies 

con- 
sidered* 


Per  cent 
of  total 
product 
of  field 


Capital 


Cash 


Property 


Coalinga  

Kern  River 

Midway 

Sunset  ^ 

McKittrick,  Lost  Hills,  Belridge 

Santa  Barbara  County 

Ventura  County _ 

Los  Angeles  and  Orange  counties 

Subtotals   

Miscellaneous  and  marketing  companies 

Totals  


50 
49 
73 
25 
23 
16 
23 
34 


293 

27 


320 


IM 


42 


$4,574,916 
5.623,533 
8.632,473 
2,809.812 
1.695,287 
964.943 
1.071.364 
5,510,759 


$57,018,285 
7,915,208 

27.564,481 
4.967,696 
6.370,242 
8.759.335 
7,249,939 

10,697,221 


$30,883,087     $130,542,407 
108,438,785  !      91,702,490 


$139,321,872    $222,244,897 


♦See  also  table  on  p. 


36 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


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STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


37 


Proved  Oil  Lands. 

There  were  no  additions  of  importance,  during  1918,  to  the  proved 
oil  lands  determined  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  for  the  assessment  of 
1919.  The  total  proved  acreage  is  89,212,  showing  an  increase  of  1,852 
acres  over  the  year  1918.  Of  this  area,  57,499  acres  are  in  Kern  County 
alone.  Fresno  County  is  second  on  the  list  with  13,319  acres.  Esti- 
mates of  the  total  amount  of  oil  which  can  be  recovered  from  the  land 
are  little  better  than  pure  guesses  but  it  does  seem  most  probable  that 
the  average  acre  will  ultimately  yield  much  less  than  fifty  thousand 
barrels. 

The  figures  in  detail  are  as  follows: 


Counties 


Wells 
(number) 


Fresno  

Kern 

Los  Angeles 

Orange  

San  Luis  Obispo 
Santa  Barbara  _ 

Santa  Clara 

Ventura  


1,168 

4,926 

783 

504 

13 

412 

8 

374 


38  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIPORNU. 

CHAPTER  THREE. 

METALS. 

The  total  value  of  metals  produced  in  California  during  1918  was 
$37,686,072.  The  chief  of  these  is,  and  always  has  been,  gold,  followed 
in  order  in  1918  by  copper,  tungsten,  quicksilver,  silver,  manganese, 
lead,  zinc,  platinum,  iron,  cadmium  and  molybdenum.  Deposits  of 
ores  of  nickel  and  vanadium  have  also  been  found  in  the  state,  although 
there  has  as  yet  been  no  commercial  output  of  them.  There  was  no 
production  of  antimony  in  1918. 

California  leads  all  states  in  the  Union  in  her  gold  production,  and 
the  precious  metal  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the  state.  Thirty- 
three  of  the  fifty-eight  counties  exported  an  output  in  1918  from  either 
mines  or  dredges. 

Copper,  which  is  second  in  importance  among  the  metals  of  the  state, 
occurs  in  the  following  general  districts :  the  Shasta  County  belt,  which 
is  by  far  the  most  important ;  the  Coast  Range  deposits,  extending  more 
or  less  continuously  from  Del  Norte  in  the  north  to  San  Luis  Obispo 
County  in  the  south ;  the  Sierra  Nevada  foothill  belt,  starting  in  Plumas 
and  running  in  a  general  southerly  and  southeasterly  direction  through 
the  Mother  Lode  counties  and  ending  in  Kern ;  the  eastern  belt  in  Mono 
and  Inyo  counties ;  and  the  southern  belt,  in  San  Bernardino,  Riverside, 
and  San  Diego  counties. 

Silver  is  not  generally  found  alone  in  the  state,  but  is  associated  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent  with  gold,  copper,  lead,  and  zinc. 

Quicksilver  has  for  many  years  been  one  of  the  state's  staple  products 
and  California  supplies  approximately  75%  of  the  nation's  output  of 
this  metal. 

Tungsten  is  found  in  but  few  other  localities  of  importance  in  the 
United  States. 

Large  deposits  of  iron  ore  have  long  been  known  in  several  sections 
of  the  state,  but  for  various  economic  reasons  this  branch  of  the  mineral 
industry  thus  far  has  made  only  slight  progress  here. 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


39 


A  comparison  of  the  1918  metal  output  with  that  of  1917  is  afforded 
by  the  following  table : 


Metal 


Antimony  ore 

Oadmium 

Copper  

Gold 


1917 


Amount 


158  tons 
,534,611  lbs. 


Iron  ore i         2,874  tons 

Lead   _ „ '  21,651,352  lbs. 

Manganese  ore j        15,515  tons 

Molybdenum  ore i  • 

Platinum  _._ i  610  ounces 

Quicksilver  24,382  flasks 

Silver ' 

Tungsten  concentrates  _.!         2,466  tons 

Zinc   11,854,804  lbs. 

Oadmium,  molybdenum- 


Value 


$18,786 

• 

,249,948 

,087,504 

11,496 

,862,016 


Totals 

Net  decrease 


43,719 
,396,466 
,462,955 
,079,013 
2C9,190 

18,857 


$43,836,609 


1918 


Amount 


47,793,046  lbs. 


3,1C8  tons 
13,464,869  Ibs. 
26,075  tons 

571  ounces 
22,621  flasks 


Value 


1,982  tons 
5,565,561  lbs. 


$11,805,883 

16.529,162 

15,947 

956,006 

979,235 

42,788 

2,579,472 

1,427,861 

2,832,222 

506,466 

11,030 


$37,686,072 


Increase-I- 

Decrease— 

Value 


$18,786— 

•      + 

1,444,065— 

8,558,342- 

4.451+ 

906.010— 

582,576+ 


183.006+ 

35,094— 

246,791— 

702,724— 

7,827— 


$6,150,537- 


[         'Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


ALUMINUM. 

Bibliography:  Bulletins  38,  67. 

No  workable  deposits  of  bauxite  have  been  discovered  in  the  state, 
although  from  time  to  time  small  quantities  of  the  impure  material 
have  been  the  foundation  of  extravagant  reports  regarding  such 
discoveries. 

ANTIMONY. 
BiUiography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38. 

Antimony  is  known  to  exist  in  a  number  of  places  in  California, 
having  been  reported  from  Kern,  Inyo,  Nevada,  Riverside,  San  Benito, 
and  Santa  Clara  counties.  The  Kern  County  deposits,  some  of  which 
carry  the  native  metal,  are  possibly  the  best  known,  and  efforts  were 
made  to  work  some  of  them  before  California  was  a  part  of  the  United 
States.  The  commonest  occurrence  is  in  the  form  of  the  sulphide, 
stibnite.  No  continuous  production,  however,  has  been  maintained,  the 
output  for  1915  being  the  first  reported  since  19Q1,  and  there  was  none 
produced  in  1918. 

From  the  low  point  of  5.44^  to  7.11^  per  pound,  according  to  brand, 
in  July,  1914,  the  price  of  antimony  rose  gradually,  though  not  steadily, 
to  44^  by  the  middle  of  January,  1916'.  American  antimony,  for  the 
first  time  in  many  years,  appeared  on  the  market  in  competition  with 
the  Chinese  and  Japanese  product.  From  $1.00  to  $2.25  per  unit  was 
paid  for  ore,  and  at  first  a  minimum  of  50%  accepted ;  but,  later,  some 


40 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


lower  grade  ore  was  smelted.  The  price  remained  at  44^  (San  Fran- 
cisco quotations)  until  the  middle  of  April,  1916,  then  declined  quite 
rapidly  to  10^  in  August.  It  varied  around  10^  to  14^  during  most 
of  1917  and  1918.  If  the  price  drops  below  12^  per  pound  for  the  metal, 
few  if  any  of  the  California  mines  can  operate  profitably. 

During  1918  no  antimony  ore  was  reported  sold. 

The  production  of  antimony  by  years  since  1887  has  been  as  follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1887   

75 
100 
50 
150 
33 
17 
20 
40 
75 

$15,500 
20,000 
2,250 
6,000 
1,485 
2,320 
3.500 
1,200 
13,500 

1900    - - 

70 
50 

510 
1,015 

158 

$5,700 

1888   „ 

1901    

8,350 

1893 

1915    

35,666 

1894       

1916    -_ - 

64,793 

1895 

1917    - 

18,786 

1896 

1918   

1807 

Totals 

1898 _ 

2,363 

$199,050 

1899 - 

BISMUTH. 

Bibliography :  Bulletins  38,  67.     Am.  Jour.  Sci.  1903,  Vol.  16. 

Several  bismuth  minerals  have  been  found  in  California,  notably 
native  bismuth  and  bismite  (the  ochre)  in  the  tourmaline  gem  district 
in  San  Diego  and  Riverside  counties  near  Pala.  Other  occurrences  of 
bismuth  minerals,  including  the  sulphide,  bismuthinite,  have  been  noted 
in  Inyo,  Fresno,  Nevada,  Tuolumne,  and  Mono  counties,  but  only  in 
small  quantities.  The  only  commercial  production  recorded  was  20 
tons  valued  at  $2,400,  in  1904,  and  credited  to  Riverside  County. 

In  1917,  a  few  pounds  of  bismutospaerite  (Bi2C03)  was  reported 
taken  out  at  the  United  Tungsten  Copper  mine,  in  the  Morongo  district, 
San  Bernardino  County.  It  is  associated  with  scheelite  in  a  contact 
deposit  between  limestone  and  granite. 

Recovery  of  bismuth  from  blister  copper  in  the  electrolytic  refinery 
has  been  noted,^  ranging  as  high  as  27.3  pounds  of  metallic  bismuth 
per  100  tons  of  blister  copper  from  the  Iron  Mountain,  Shasta  County, 
ores. 

The  uses  of  bismuth  are  somewhat  restricted,  being  employed  princi- 
pally in  the  preparation  of  medicinal  salts,  and  in  low  melting-point 
or  cliche  alloys.  These  alloys  are  utilized  in  automatic  fire  sprinkler 
systems,  in  electrical  fuses,  and  in  solders. 

CADMIUM. 
In  1917,  also  in  1918,  several  thousand  pounds  of  cadmium  metal, 
in  sticks,  was  recovered  by  the  electrolytic  zinc  plant  of  the  Mammoth 
Copper  Company  in  Shasta  County.     The  1917  output  was  the  first 

»Trans.  Am.  Inst.  Min.  Eng.,  Vol.  47,  pp.  217-218. 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  41 

commercial  production  of  this  metal  recorded  in  California.  As  there 
was  only  the  one  producer,  the  exact  figures  and  value  are  concealed 
under  the  'unapportioned'  item. 

The  cadmium  occurs  associated  with  the  zinc  sulphide,  sphalerite, 
probably  as  the  sulphide,  greenockite.  The  principal  uses  of  cadmium 
are  in  low  melting-point,  or  cliche  alloys,  and  in  the  manufacture  of 
paint  pigments.  The  cadmium  alloys  are  said  to  be  superior  for  some 
purposes  to  similar  bismuth  compounds.  Cadmium  is  also  used  in 
bronze  telegraph  and  telephone  wires. 

In  the  last  year  of  the  war  (1918),  the  United  States  Government^ 
and  certain  large  concerns  began  experiments  with  cadmium  solder  as 
a  means  of  saving  tin.  The  results  of  these  experiments  were  prom- 
ising, but  the  demand  for  tin  decreased,  and  the  armistice  was  signed 
before  cadmium  solders  became  widely  used.  Cadmium  was  used  by 
European  nations  during  the  war  for  some  strictly  military  purposes, 
but  little  exact  information  is  available  to  show  those  purposes.  Ger- 
many was  the  first  of  the  belligerent  nations  to  make  large  use  of 
cadmium  as  a  substitute  for  tin  in  solders,  being  cut  off  by  the  blockade 
almost  entirely  from  the  world's  sources  of  tin. 

The  average  price  for  the  metal  and  the  sulphide  of  cadmium  in 
1918  was  $1.48  and  $1.36  per  pound,  respectively,  compared  with  $1.47 
and  $1.41  in  1917. 

COPPER. 

BihUography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletins  23,  50. 

Copper  is  second  only  to  gold,  among  the  metals  produced  in  Cali- 
fornia. The  leading  county  in  this  metal  is  Shasta,  with  an  output  in 
1918  more  than  double  that  of  its  nearest  competitor,  Plumas.  For 
some  years  Calaveras  County  has  been  in  second  place,  but  was  passed 
this  year  by  Plumas  due  to  the  increased  output  of  the  Engels  Copper 
Company  and  to  an  important  contribution,  also,  from  the  Walker  prop- 
erty in  the  same  district.  Both  of  these  properties  have  flotation  plants 
in  operation.  But  one  other  county,  San  Bernardino,  produced  in 
excess  of  a  million  pounds  of  copper  in  1918.  Other  important  pro- 
ducers were  Placer,  Trinity,  Siskiyou,  Inyo,  and  Madera. 

In  1918,  some  yield  in  greater  or  less  amount,  was  reported  from  a 
total  of  24  counties.  The  production  for  the  year  was  47,793,046 
pounds,  valued  at  $11,805,883,  which  is  a  decrease  both  in  quantity  and. 
total  value  as  compared  with  1917.  The  European  war  caused  a 
greatly  increased  demand  for  copper  to  make  brass  shells  of  all  calibers, 
as  well  as  other  requirements.     This  raised  the  price  from  the  1914 


^.  S.  G.  S.  Press  Bull.  No.  407,  May,  1919,  p.  1. 


42 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


.,1 

i§ 


§ 

1 

§ 

1 

s 

§ 

i 

i 

§* 

g 

i 

i 

i. 

§ 

i 

STATISTICS  OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


43 


average  of  13.3^  to  17.5^  per  pound  in  1915 ;  24.6^  in  1916 ;  27.3^  in 
1917,  and  24.7^  in  1918.  On  September  21, 1917,  the  U.  S.  Government 
fixed  copper  prices  at  23.5^  per  lb.  for  large  lots,  and  24. 67^^  for  small 
lots,  effective  until  June  1,  1918. 

Following  the  signing  of  the  armistice  in  Europe,  the  price  of  copper 
dropped  to  15^  per  pound,  and  a  number  of  mines  curtailed  their  oper- 
ations or  shut  down  entirely;  since  which  the  situation  has  gradually 
improved  and  the  price  has  regained  the  19^  level  (July,  1919). 

Flotation  concentration  is  now  being  successfully  employed  at  a 
number  of  the  copper  mines  in  California,  notably  by  the  Engels  Copper 
Company  and  the  Walker  Mine  in  Plumas  County,  the  Calaveras  Copper 
Company  in  Calaveras  County,  and  the  Mammoth  Copper  Company  in 
Shasta  County. 

A  leaching  plant  has  been  built  near  Raymond  to  handle  ores  from 
the  Green  Mountain  copper  mine  in  Mariposa  County.  It  is  pro- 
posed to  place  their  product  on  the  market  in  the  form  of  bluestone, 
cement  copper,  and  other  by-products.  The  cement  copper  will  be 
in  a  powdered  form  said  to  be  in  demand  for  use  in  marine  paints. 

Distribution  of  the  output,  by  counties,  for  1918,  was  as  follows : 


County 


Founds 


Value 


Calaveras  I  6,762,882 

El  Dorado '  22,259 

Inyo _ i  338,518 

Kern 95,580 

Madera ___ ___  245,519 

Mariposa  '  30,294 

Mono _ — - I  160 

Nevada 42,203 

Placer 837,527 

Plumas   __ - 11,098,016 

Riverside  _ —  19,485 

San  Bernardino I  1,580,998 

San  Diego _ i  4,143 

Shasta  '  25,294,590 

Siskiyou . _ _ i  573,593 

Tuolumne j  35,127 

Amador,  Contra  Costa,  Del  Norte,  Imperial,  Marin,  San  I 

Luis  Obispo,  Trinity,  Yuba* _ 812,152 


$1,670,432 

5,498 

83,614 

23.608 

60,643 

7,483 

40 

10.424 

206,869 

2,741,210 

4,813 

390,507 

1,023 

6,247.764 

141,677 

8,676 

201,602 


Totals _ ___ __ 47.79a046  ^  $11,805,1 


'Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


44 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNU. 


Amount  and  value  of  copper  production  in  California  annually  since 
such  records  have  been  compiled  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  is  given 
in  the  following  tabulation: 


Tear 

Pounds 

Value 

Tear 

Pounds 

Value 

1887 --_. 

1,600,000 

1,570,021 

151,505 

23,347 

3,397,455 

2,980,944 

239,682 

738,594 

225,650 

1,992,844 

13,638,626 

21,543,229 

23,915,486 

29,515,512 

34,931,788 

27.860,162 

19,113,861 

$192,000 

235,303 

18,180 

3,502 

424,675 

342,808 

21,571 

72,486 

21,901 

199,519 

1,540,666 

2,475,168 

3,990,534 

4,748,242 

5,501.782 

3,239,975 

2,520,997 

1904 

29,974,154 
16,997,489 
28,726,448 
32,602,945 
40,868.772 
65,727.736 
53,721,032 
36,838,024 
34,169,997 
34,471,118 
30.491,535 
40,968,966 
55,809,019 
48,534,611 
47,798,046 

$3,969,995 

1888 

1905 

2.650,605 

5,522,712 

6,341,387 

5,350.777 

8,478,142 

6,680,641 

4,604,753 

5,638,049 

5,343,023 

4,055,375 

7,169,567 

13.729.017 

13,249.948 

11.805.883 

1889  _ _.._ 

1906 

1890 ._ 

1907 

1891  „._ 

1908 

1892  .„ _ 

1909 

1893 

1910 

1894 __ 

1911 

1895 .__ 

1912 

1896 

1913 

1897  _ ___ 

1914 

1898 

1915 

1899 

1916           _      _ 

1900 _ 

1917 

1901 

1918 

1902 

Totals 

1908 

781,133,598 

$130,139,183 

GOLD. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  I  to  XV  (inc.).    Bul- 
letins 36,  45,  57.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Prof.  Pap.  73. 

Gold  is  one  of  the  most  important  mineral  products  of  California. 
For  a  number  of  years  up  to  1916  there  was  a  marked  tendency  toward 
increased  activity  in  gold  mining,  as  investors  realized  that  many  of 
the  mines  and  prospects  have  not  been  exhausted.  The  increase  in  costs 
of  all  supplies,  labor  and  transportation  during  the  past  three  years  has 
made  it  increasingly  difficult  for  the  gold  miner  to  operate  at  a  profit. 
The  gold  output  of  not  only  California,  but  of  the  other  western  gold 
states  has  decreased  greatly.  Many  of  the  mines  were  forced  to  close 
down. 

During  the  war  the  gold  miner  was  decidedly  at  a  disadvantage.  The 
prices  of  other  metals  and  products  could  be  raised  to  meet  conditions ; 
but  the  gold  miner's  dollar,  being  the  base,  had  to  remain  at  the  same 
face  value  though  its  purchasing  power  had  dropped  to  approximately 
60%.  A  subsid}^,  and  various  other  expedients  were  suggested.  Gov- 
ernment commissions,  both  in  the  United  States  and  in  England,  inves- 
tigated the  situation,  and  arrived  at  similar  conclusions — that  gold  must 
remain  the  basis  of  calculations,  and  must  retain  its  present  face  value. 
Any  changes  of  the  base  of  valuations  would  have  too  far-reaching 
results.  When  conditions  again  assume  a  normal  trend,  gold  mining 
will  again  increase ;  but  it  will  doubtless  take  a  year  or  two,  at  least. 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


45 


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46  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

There  is  one  branch  of  gold  mining,  however,  that  has  apparently 
passed  its  zenith  in  California— that  of  dredging.  The  available  ground 
at  Oroville,  in  Butte  County,  the  oldest  field  in  the  state,  is  nearly 
worked  out.  Some  re-dredging  will  be  done  by  larger,  modern 
machines  in  the  earliest  ground  worked  there,  but  not  over  the  entire 
area.  In  May,  1919,  there  remained  but  three  boats  in  operation  at 
Oroville. 

The  State  Mining  Bureau  has  never  independently  collected  statistics 
of  gold  and  silver  production,  as  there  is  no  necessity  for  duplicating 
the  very  thoroughly  organized  work  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey 
covering  those  metals.  The  data  here  given  relative  to  these  two  metals 
has  been  received  through  the  courtesy  and  co-operation  of  Mr.  Charles 
G.  Yale,  Statistician  in  Charge  of  the  San  Francisco  branch  office  of 
the  Division  of  Mineral  Resources.  Anyone  wishing  fuller  details  of 
the  production  of  these  metals  may  obtain  the  same  by  applying  to  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  Washington,  D.  C,  or  to  room  305,  U.  S. 
Custom  House,  San  Francisco,  California,  for  a  copy  of  the  'separate' 
on  the  subject. 

"In  considering  the  metal  mining  conditions  in  California  for  the  year  1918,  the 
outstanding  feature  to  be  noted  is  the  unprecedented  decrease  in  the  gold  production. 
For  over  70  years  the  state  has  usually  led  all  others  of  the  Union  in  annual  gold 
output,  and  its  total  production  of  the  metal  far  exceeds  all  other  states.  But  in 
1918  all  classes  of  mines  producing  gold  show  a  very  material  reduction  in  output  as 
compared  with  the  year  1917.  And  not  only  is  this  decrease  in  values  apparent  in 
the  gold-mining  industry  but  it  is  in  evidence  in  all  classes  of  metal  mining,  which 
shows  that  the  decline  was  entirely  due  to  conditions  brought  about  by  the  war  and 
not  to  any  decadence  in  gold  mining  alone. 

"A  careful  study  of  the  detailed  returns,  which  came  into  the  San  Francisco  office 
of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  reveals  the  fact  that  only  to  the  extent  of  a 
few  hundred  thousand  dollars  has  exhaustion  of  deposits  influenced  the  decrease  in 
gold  yield.  This  exhaustion  may  be  almost  entirely  attributed  to  the  dredging 
interests  and  especially  to  two  of  the  older  extensive  dredging  fields  and  a  few 
smaller  'outside*  ones.  Indeed,  the  largest  and  most  extensive  shows  a  material 
increase  in  yield,  not  sufficient,  however,  to  overcome  the  loss  in  other  fields.  From 
the  nature  of  the  industry,  working  in  surface  deposits  only,  with  definite  areas  as 
to  boundaries,  and  predetermined  average  values  to  be  obtained  per  cubic  yard,  there 
must  be  annually  a  certain  exhaustion  of  the  deposits,  depending  on  the  capacity  of 
the  gold-digging  machinery.  Moreover,  it  is  but  natural,  on  beginning  work,  as  a 
matter  of  quick  reimbursement  of  invested  capital,  the  best  ground  has  been  first 
worked  so  that  in  older  fields  the  machines  are  now  digging  on  poorer  ground  than 
when  they  first  began,  resulting,  of  course,  in  smaller  yield.  A  number  of  dredsjes 
have  entirely  worked  out  their  available  area  of  ground  and  ceased  work  alto- 
gether, or  have  been  dismantled  or  moved  to  other  districts  where  dredging  ground  is 
more  circumscribed  in  area.  In  the  smaller  fields,  outside  of  Yuba,  Sacramento,  and 
Butte  counties,  it  does  not  pay  to  construct  and  operate  the  very  large  machines  in 
use  where  there  is  abundant  gravel  on  which  to  work,  so  the  smaller  ones,  with  less 
daily  capacity,  must  necessarily  have  proportionately  smaller  production  annually. 
The  number  of  dredges  operating,  therefore,  bears  little  relation  to  the  total  gold 
output,  since  one  of  the  monster  steel  machines  of  recent  construction  in  the  Yuba 
County  field  will  dig  more  gravel  in  a  day  than  half  a  dozen  or  more  of  the  small 
machines   in    other   districts. 

"The  influence  of  the  dredges  on  the  gold-mining  Industry  in  California  is  para- 
mount. This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  of  the  total  gold  produced  in  the  state 
in  1918,  53  per  cent  came  from  the  deep  mines  and  47  per  cent  from  the  placers, 
and  of  the  total  placer  gold  output  the  dredges  produced  95  per  cent  and,  indeed, 
40  per  cent  of  the  entire  gold  of  the  state.  The  yield  from  deep  mines  was  2  per 
cent  less  of  the  total  in  1918  than  in  1917,  and  that  from  all  placers,  2  per  cent  more, 
showing  increased  gains  on  the  part  of  the  gravel  mines.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that 
the  siliceous  ore  from  the  deep  quartz  gold  mines  produced  95  per  cent  of  all  the 
deep-mine  gold,  while  the  dredges  produced  exactly  the  same  percentage  of  the  total 
placer  gold.  The  decrease  in  gold  output  of  the  deep  mines  in  1918,  as  compared  with 
1917,  was  $2,323,300,  while  the  decrease  in  placer  gold  was  $1,235,251,  of  which  the 
dredge  share  was  $881,600.  So  the  deficit  Is  much  more  largely  due  to  deep  than  to 
placer  mines.  The  leading  gold-producing  county  of  the  state — Yuba — is  almost 
entirely  a  gravel  mining  county,  and  in  this  county  are  more  operating  dredges  and 
larger  ones  than  In  any  other  county  of  the  state,  and  they  produced  nearly  $100,000 
more  In  1918  than  In  1917,  yielding  altogether  99  per  cent  of  the  total  output  of  the 
county.     This  gravel  mining  county  exceeded  by  $720,563  the  output  of  deep  gold  of 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  47 

Nevada  County,  which  leads  the  deep-mine  gold  producers  of  the  state.  Amador 
County,  second  in  rank  in  total  gold  yield  in  the  state,  only  exceeded  Nevada  County 
in  total  gold  yield,  through  the  work  of  one  dredge  operating  within  its  borders, 
everything  else  practically  being  from  deep  mines. 

"The  decrease  in  the  production  of  gold  in  California  in  1918  is  very  much  more 
due  to  lessened  output  of  the  deep  mines  than  to  the  placers.  The  production  of  the 
deep  mines  in  1918  decreased  20  per  cent,  whereas  that  of  the  placers  decreased  only 
14  per  cent.  The  number  of  distinctively  deep-gold  mines  producing  in  1918  was  260, 
which  is  112  more  than  in  1917.  Tlie  number  of  all  kinds  of  deep  mines,  gold,  copper, 
lead,  etc.,  was  388  in  1918,  or  147  more  than  in  1917,  and  from  all  of  these  more  or 
less  gold  was  obtained.  It  was  almost  entirely  the  war  conditions  which  brought 
about  this  excessive  deficit  in  the  deep-mine  gold  industry.  Very  little  loss  is  in 
evidence  from  exhaustion  of  ore  deposits.  Some  deep  mines  ceased  operations  entirely 
during  1918  because  the  low  grade  of  the  ores  could  not  meet  expenses  under  existing 
conditions  but  will  be  able  to  resume  work  when  affairs  are  more  in  a  normal  stage, 
and  even  those  few  which  closed  down  permanently  are  more  than  overbalanced  by 
new  enterprises  which  began  operations.  The  real  cause  of  the  reduction  of  gold 
output  from  deep  mines  was  that  these  deep  mines  were  not  operated  continuously 
through  the  year  as  usual,  but  temporarily  ceased  work  and  production  for  several 
months.  Some  of  them  were  only  worked  for  two,  for  three,  or  for  six  months,  lying 
idle  the  rest  of  the  time.  Some  worked  steadily  through  the  year  with  only  one  shift 
of  men  and  all  of  them  had  to  restrict  operations,  owing  to  lack  of  skilled  labor. 
Even  such  labor  as  was  available  was  inefficient,  being  mainly  too-young  or  too-old 
men,  and  much  loss  was  due  to  this  condition.  It  must  be  remembered  also  that  few 
of  the  larger  deep  gold  producers  were  anxious  to  push  production  under  costly  con- 
ditions and  pay  resultant  war  income  taxes.  Their  mines  had  to  be  kept  in  operation, 
but  not  necessarily  up  to  capacity.  Not  only  were  labor  costs  excessive,  but  also 
those  for  supplies,  power,  freight,  machinery,  tools,  etc.,  with  the  consequence  that 
it  cost  very  much  more  to  produce  an  ounce  of  gold  than  it  ever  had  before.  Working 
deep  mines,  therefore,  in  many  instances  became  almost  prohibitory  for  much  loss 
resulted  if  full  operations  were  persisted  in.  In  case  of  one  of  the  very  largest  deep- 
gold  mines  in  the  state,  with  a  gross  output  of  $1,046,797,  the  president  of  the  com- 
pany in  his  annual  report  says,  'The  conditions  under  which  the  business  of  gold 
mining  was  conducted  during  1918  were  so  unfavorable  and  abnormal  that  the  out- 
come affords  no  criterion  of  the  results  obtainable  with  ordinary  factors  of  observa- 
tion. The  scarcity  and  inefficiency  of  labor  and  the  high  cost  of  all  materials  used, 
combined  with  a  lower  yield  per  ton  crushed,  resulted  in  a  situation  at  the  North 
Star  mines  during  the  latter  part  of  the  year  when  the  cost  of  producing  an  ounce  of 
gold  exceeded  the  standard  price  at  which  it  could  be  sold.'  It  may  be  explained  In 
this  instance  that  the  scarcity  of  labor  made  it  necessary  to  mine  the  ore  most  readily 
available,  without  proper  sorting,  in  order  to  keep  the  mill  supplied. 

"The  opinion  thus  expressed  as  to  cost  of  production  of  an  ounce  of  gold  is  con- 
curred in  by  the  superintendents  of  a  number  of  other  largely  productive  mines  and 
the  condition  was  even  worse  in  smaller  mines  where  costs  are  proportionately 
larger, 

"In  the  five  Mother  Lode  counties  of  the  state,  in  one  of  which  are  the  deepest 
gold  mines,  60  per  cent  of  the  total  ore  milled  in  the  state  was  treated.  While  the 
output  of  ore  in  these  counties  fell  off  largely  in  1918,  the  average  yield  of  the  ore 
was  about  a  dollar  a  ton  higher  than  it  has  been  in  years  and  most  of  this  ore  came 
from  very  deep  workings.  This  is  a  very  encouraging  feature  indeed  and  refutes  any 
idea  of  present  exhaustion  of  ore  bodies  in  the  principal  mines  of  the  state.  The 
value  of  all  metals  from  ores  of  the  state  in  1918  gives  an  average  of  $9.32  per  ton, 
as  compared  with  $9.52  per  ton  in  1917.  The  ore  milled  and  concentrated  at  gold 
and  silver  mills  averaged  $4.27  in  gold  and  silver  per  ton,  as  compared  with  $4.46 
per  ton  in  1917. 

"It  is  a  somewhat  remarkable  fact  that  under  such  adverse  conditions  in  gold 
mining  as  existed  in  1918,  there  should  have  been  such  a  phenomenal  increase  in  the 
number  of  mines  reporting  production,  especially  when  it  is  considered  that  during 
the  six  preceding  years  there  was  a  steady  decrease  in  number  annually.  There  were, 
altogether,  214  more  mines  reporting  production  in  1918  than  in  1917,  of  which  147 
were  deep  and  67  placers.  It  may  be  explained,  however,  that  almost  without  excep- 
tion the  new  producing  properties  are  small  mines,  deep  and  placers,  yielding  from  a 
few  hundreds  to  a  few  thousands  each.  This  was  due  to  conditions  in  the  mining 
regions  of  the  state,  in  mountain,  foothill,  and  valley  counties,  where  old  miners  and 
prospetcors,  and  others  without  steady  occupation  and  not  capable  for  regular  indus- 
trial or  war  work,  turned  to  nomadic  mining  and  prospecting  in  their  respective 
localities.  The  gold  was  obtained  in  'crevicing*  in  bedrock  in  the  small  gulches,  and 
from  the  river  beds  along  the  rivers,  gulches  and  creeks,  working  river  sands  and 
small  gravel  bars  here  and  there  where  they  found  small  spots  yet  unworked.  Some 
gold  is  also  obtained  from  small  pocket  seams  and  by  'sniping*  at  one  place  and 
another.  Due  to  the  fact,  also,  that  no  annual  assessment  work  had  been  required 
on  mining  claims  in  war  times,  hundreds  of  mines  laid  idle  and  without  caretakers 
or  watchmen  and  many  of  these  were  gouged  or  gophered  for  small  quantities  of 
richer  ore.  Moreover,  in  many  of  these  were  a  few  tons  more  or  less  of  sulphurets 
piled  up  to  await  larger  shipments  and  these  small  lots  were  gathered,  further  con- 
centrated perhaps,  and  shipped  for  treatment  at  smelters  and  local  refining  works. 
A  great  many  prospectors  were  in  the  gold  mining  counties  also,  who  gather  up 
considerable  gold  while  prospecting  for  permanent  ledges  or  whatever  then  can  find. 
Old  partly  abandoned  mills  and  reduction  works  sometimes  afforded  comparatively 
rich  pickings.  The  gold  dust  buyers,  jewelers,  and  country  banks  and  merchants  buy 
the  small  lots  thus  obtained  in  various  places  and  the  sum  total,  when  finally 
deposited  at  the  mint,  smelters,  etc.,  amounts  to  a  considerable  sum. 

"While  the  deep  mines  of  the  state  suffered  a  decline  in  output  for  the  reasons 
before  mentioned,  the  placers  themselves  were  generally  hampered  by  a  short  water 
season  in  almost  all  parts  of  California,  thus  compelling  them  to  cease  washing 
gravel  much  earlier  than  usual  and  resulting  in  decreased  output.    Even  the  dredges 


48  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

were  more  or  less  unfavorably  influenced.  They  were  unable  to  obtain  help  on  the 
boats  and  then  periods  of  work  were  shortened  by  power  requirements.  At  times 
they  were  only  allowed  a  small  quantity  of  the  electrical  power  needed  for  full-time 
work,  the  digging  capacity  of  the  boats  being  thus  materially  lessened." 

******* 

"In  1918  there  was  treated  at  gold  and  silver  mills  and  at  concentrating  plants 
2,000,563  tons  of  ore  yielding  altogether  $8,159,975  in  gold  and  385,208  fine  ounces  of 
silver,  valued  at  $385,208,  a  total  value  of  $8,545,183  in  gold  and  silver,  and  an 
average  value  per  ton  of  $4.27  in  both  metals.  The  average  value  in  1917  was  $4.46  ; 
in  1916,  $5.04;  in  1915,  $5.56;  in  1914,  $5.44;  in  1913,  $5.57;  in  1912,  $5.08;  in  1911, 
$4.64  ;  and  in  1910,  $5.25. 

"There  was  recovered  in  1918  as  bullion  in  mills  $6,098,104  in  gold  and  104,152 
fine  ounces  of  silver,  valued  at  $104,152,  a  total  of  $6,202,256  in  gold  and  silver,  and 
an  average  per  ton  of  $4,384  in  both  metals.  From  1,414,644  tons  of  gold  milling  ore 
and  585,919  tons  of  concentrating  ore,  92,191  tons  of  concentrates  were  obtained,  con- 
taining $2,061,871  in  gold  and  281,056  fine  ounces  of  silver,  valued  at  $281,056.  There 
was  a  yield  of  gold  and  silver  of  $2,342,927,  or  an  average  value  of  $25.41  a  ton  of 
concentrates. 

"Of  the  smelting  ores  448,523  tons  were  treated,  having  an  output  of  gold  of 
$451,863,  and  of  982,619  fine  ounces  of  silver,  valued  at  $982,619.  The  total  yield  of 
gold  and  silver  was  $1,434,482,  or  an  average  value  of  $3.20  a  ton. 

"There  were  treated  also  35,177  tons  of  tailings  and  slags,  yielding  $78,336  in  gold 
and  29,975  ounces  of  silver,  valued  at  $29,975.  The  total  gold  and  silver  produced 
from  tailings  was  $108,311,  an  average  of  about  $3.08  a  ton.  This  high  average  is 
due  to  the  high  grade  of  the  slag  treated  from  a  few  large  mines." 

******* 

"In  1918  there  were  704  properties  reporting  production  in  California  (214  more 
than  in  1917),  of  which  388  were  deep  mines  and  316  placers.  The  production  of 
deep  mines  of  1918  may  be  classified  by  chief  metallic  product  as  follows:  Gold,  260  ; 
copper,  62  ;  lead,  56  ;  copper-lead,  6  ;  and  zinc,  4.  Of  the  placer  mines  114  were 
surface  or  sluicing,  44  more  than  in  1917  ;  87  were  hydraulic,  16  more  than  in  1917  ; 
66  were  drift,  13  more  than  in  1917  ;  and  49  were  dredges,  6  less  than  in  1917.  Of 
the  deep  mines  there  were  112  more  gold  mines,  14  more  copper,  13  more  lead  mines, 
6  more  copper-lead  mines  (none  in  1917),  and  2  more  zinc;  there  were,  therefore, 
147  more  deep  mines  producing  in  1918  than  in  1917.  The  dredges  are  enumerated 
by  the  number  of  boats  at  work,  some  companies  operating  only  one  and  others 
several." 

******* 

"The  total  production  of  gold  in  California  in  1918  was  799,588.10  fine  ounces, 
valued  at  $16,528,953,  a  decrease  of  172,144.90  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $3,558,551.  The 
deep  mines  of  the  state  yielded  420,387.17  fine  ounces  of  gold,  valued  at  $8,690,174, 
which  is  a  decrease  of  112,389.63  fine  ounces  in  quantity  and  of  $2,323,300  in  value. 
Of  the  deep-mine  gold  95  per  cent  was  derived  from  siliceous  ore,  4  per  cent  from 
copper  ore,  and  1  per  cent  from  lead  ore. 

"As  shown  above,  there  was  a  material  decrease  in  the  output  of  gold  from  deep 
mines  in  1918,  as  compared  with  1917.  There  was  also  a  decrease  in  yield  of  placer 
mine  gold  of  59,755.27  fine  ounces  in  quantity  and  of  $1,235,251  in  value.  The 
dredges  yielded  $881,600  less  gold  in  1918  than  in  1917.  Since  gold  dredging  began 
in  California  in  1898,  the  total  tutput  of  gold  from  that  source  to  the  end  of  1918  has 
been  $102,618,912.  Since  1898  the  Oroville  (Butte  County)  dredging  field  has  yielded 
$30,687,986,  not  including  $2,338,816  derived  in  the  last  9  years  from  adjacent  districts 
in  the  same  county.  The  Marysville  (Yuba  County)  field  has  produced  from  1903  to 
1918,  inclusive,  $31,869,100  in  gold;  the  Folsom  (Sacramento  County)  field  has 
yielded  since  1902  from  dredging,  gold  valued  at  $23,525,954.  The  output  of  the 
dredges  operating  in  numerous  other  fields  in  the  state  is  not  included  in  these  figures 
of  the  more  extended  dredge  fields.  The  placer  yield  of  gold  in  1918  in  California 
was  379,200.93  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $7,838,779.  The  placer  mines  produced  47  per 
cent  of  the  gold  yield  in  1918,  and  the  deep  mines  53  per  cent,  as  compared  with" 
45  per  cent  for  the  placers  in  1917  and  55  per  cent  for  the  deep  mines.  The  dredges 
produced  45  per  cent  of  the  total  gold  yield  from  all  sources  in  1918.  Of  the  total 
placer  gold,  the  dredges  produced  95  per  cent,  the  hydraulic  mines  3  per  cent,  the 
drift  mines  1  per  cent,  and  the  sluicing  mines  1  per  cent.  It  is  probable  that  this  • 
percentage  from  surface  placers  is  too  high,  for  in  the  reports  received  at  the  oflfice 
of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  numbers  of  mines  classify  themselves  as 
working  placers  without  specifying  the  exact  kind.  Some  of  these  may  have  been 
small  hydraulic  or  drift  mines  instead  of  mere  surface  or  sluicing  mines.  Although 
the  larger  and  more  important  dredging  fields  of  the  state  are  at  Oroville,  in  Butte 
County ;  Folsom,  in  Sacramento  County ;  and  Marysville.  in  Yuba  County,  dredges 
are  also  operated  in  9  other  counties — 1  in  Amador,  2  in  Calaveras,  1  in  Merced,  2  in 
Placer,  1  in  San  Joaquin,  4  in  Shasta,  3  in  Siskiyou,  1  in  Stanislaus,  and  4  in 
Trinity.  The  Yuba  County  dredges,  12  in  number,  made  the  largest  output  of  gold  ' 
in  1918,  the  value  being  $3,750,033,  an  increase  of  $90,822,  compared  with  1917. 
Sacramento  County  with  10  dredges  at  work  made  an  output  of  $1,690,279,  a  decrease 
of  $223,225  in  gold  output.  In  Butte  County  (including  Oroville  and  the  'outside 
districts')    8  dredges  produced  $626,010,  or  $267,131  less  than  in  1917. 

"Of  the  32  counties  producing  gold  in  1918  in  California,  9  yielded  no  placer  gold, 
and  6  yielded  no  gold  from  deep  mines.  Four  counties  produced  more  than  $1,000,000 
each  In  gold  In  1918,  as  follows:  Yuba,  $3,767,933;  Amador,  $3,249,385;  Nevada, 
$3,070,453  ;  and  Sacramento,  $1,694,724.  The  leading  hydraulic  mining  county  was 
Trinity ;  the  largest  producer  of  gold  from  surface  or  sluicing  placers  was  Butte ;  and 
the  largest  producer  of  gold  from  dredges  was  Yuba  County.  The  largest  Increase — 
$90,260 — in  gold  In  1918  was  from  Yuba  County,  which  was  followed  by  San  Joaquin, 
$70,744  (there  was  none  from  this  county  in  1917),  Mariposa.  $24,386,  and  Modoc 
next.  The  counties  which  showed  a  decreased  output  of  gold  in  1918,  as  compared 
with    1917,    were    as    follows:      Nevada,    $612,494;    Calaveras,    $600,179;    Amador,- 


r 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


49 


$414,779;  Placer,  $308,496;  Kern,  $291,725;  Butte,  $276,296;  Shasta,  $231,616;  Sac- 
ramento, $224,857;  Trinity,  $157,319;  San  Bernardino.  $127,757;  Sierra,  $95,060; 
Stanislaus,  $66,519;  Tuolumne,  $46,757;  Merced,  $33,392;  Siskiyou,  $31,323;  Inyo, 
$25,154;  Humboldt,  $15,058;  Madera.  $11,331;  and  Plumas,  $6,748." 


"From  the  siliceous  ore  and  tailings  the  recovery  of  gold  by  methods  of  treatment 
in  California  in  1918  was  as  follows:  By  amalgamation,  283.293.08  fine  ounces,  valued 
at  $5,856,188;  by  cyanidation,  46,289.60  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $956,831;  by  chlorina- 
tion,  5,769.83  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $119,173  ;  from  concentrates  sent  to  smelters  for 
treatment,  65,564.90  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $1,355,347.  These  figures  are  only  approxi- 
mate, as  many  small  operators  keep  no  separate  accounts  and  even  the  larger  com- 
panies do  not  always  segregate  the  quantity  of  gold  obtained  by  separate  systems  of 
treatment.  TJiis  is  especially  the  case  where  larger  mills  amalgamate  in  the  batteries 
and  on  the  plates  and  pass  the  tailings  and  concentrates  direct  at  once  through  the 
cyanide  plants.  The  recovery  of  some  of  the  gold  is  due  to  the  use  of  the  flotation 
system,  but  this  has  not  been  considered  in  the  above  segregation  of  methods  of 
treatment  of  the  ore. 

"The  316  productive  placer  mines  in  California  in  1918  yielded  gold  valued  at 
$7,838,779,  and  29,909  ounces  of  silver,  valued  at  $29,909,  a  total  of  $7,868,688.  The 
decrease  in  placer  gold  was  $1,235,251  and  the  increase  in  value  of  silver  was  $7,449. 
In  production  of  gold  the  dredge  properties  showed  a  decrease  of  $881,600,  the 
hydraulic  mines  a  decrease  of  $53,874  ;  the  drift  mines  a  decrease  of  $258,339,  and 
the  surface  or  sluicing  mines  a  decrease  of  $41,438." 

The  gold  production  of  California  for  1918  was  distributed,  by  coun- 
ties, as  follows: 


County 

Value 

Amador                               -  -      -  - - 

$3,249,385 

Butte                                                           -         -  - . 

645,975 

Calaveras 

871,263 

Del  Norte 

565 

El  Dorado 

28,352 

Fresno    -      -      -  _ - . 

4,795 

Humboldt  __. 

8,028 

Imperial 
Inyo  


Kern  

Madera  _- 
Mariposa 
Merced  _— 
Mono  


Nevada  

Placer  

Plumas  

Riverside  

Sacramento  

San  Bernardino 

Shasta  

Sierra    

Siskiyou 

Stanislaus   

Trinil 


!ty 


Tuolumne  

Yuba 

Marin,  Mendocino,  Modoc,  Napa,  San  Joaquin,  San  Luis  Obispo*. 


Total $16,529,162 


247 

100,240 

246,127 

7,583 

337,682 

41,089 

31,252 
1,070,453 
230,190 
125,207 
392 
,694,724 

29,225 
543,509 
289,368 
294,227 
114,196 
444,729 
274,328 
,767,933 

78.098 


•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  op  r  a  tor  in  each. 
Total  Gold  Production  of  California. 

The  following  table  was  compiled  by  Chas.  G.  Yale,  of  the  Division 
of  Mineral  Resources,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  but  for  a  number  of  years 
statistician  of  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau  and  the  U.  S.  Mint 
at  San  Francisco.  The  authorities  chosen  for  certain  periods  were: 
J.  D.  Whitney,  state  geologist  of  California;  John  Arthur  Phillips, 

4—47382 


50 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF   CALIFORNIA. 


author  of  ''Mining  and  Metallurgy  of  Gold  and  Silver"  (1867)  ;  U.  S. 
Mining  Commissioner  R.  W.  Raymond;  U.  S.  Mining  Commissioner 
J.  Ross  Browne;  Wm.  P.  Blake,  Commissioner  from  California  to  the 
Paris  Exposition,  where  he  made  a  report  on  "Precious  Metals"  (1867) ; 
John  J.  Valentine,  author  for  many  years  of  the  annual  report  on 
precious  metals  published  by  Wells  Fargo  &  Company's  Express;  and 
Louis  A.  Garnett,  in  the  early  days  manager  of  the  San  Francisco 
refinery,  where  records  of  gold  receipts  and  shipments  were  kept.  Mr. 
Yale  obtained  other  data  from  the  reports  of  the  director  of  the  U.  S. 
Mint  and  the  diector  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.  The  authorities 
referred  to,  who  were  alive  at  the  time  of  the  original  compilation  of 
this  table  in  1894,  were  all  consulted  in  person  or  by  letter  by  Mr.  Yale 
with  reference  to  the  correctness  of  their  published  data,  and  the  final 
table  quoted  was  then  made  up. 

The  figures  since  1904  are  those  prepared  by  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey : 


Tear 

Value 

Tear 

Value 

1848 

$245,301 
10.151.360 
41,273,106 
75,938,232 
81,294,700 
67.613,487 
69,433,931 
55,485,395 
57.509.411 
43.628.172 
46.591.140 
45.846.599 
44.095.163 
41.884,995 
38.854.668 
23,501,736 
24.071.423 
17.930.858 
17.123,867 
18,265,452 
17,555,867 
18,229,044 
17,458,133 
17,477,885 
15,482,194 
15,019,210 
17,264.836 
16.876.009 
15.610.723 
16.501.268 
18.839.141 
19,626.654 
20.030.761 
19.223,155 
17,146.416 
24.316.873 

1884    

$13,600,000 

1849  

1885 

12,661.044 

1850 

1886 _ 

14,716.506 

1851 - 

1887  - 

13.588,614 

1852  _ 

1888  _ 

1889  

12.750,000 

1853  

11,212,913 

1854 

1890  

1891  

12,309,793 

1855 

12,728,869 

1856  ,   -       .    . 

1892 -   .  - 

12,571,900 

1857  

1893  

12,422.811 

1858 

1894 

13.923.281 

1859 

1895  

15.334.317 

I860  

1896  

17,181,562 

1861  

1897 

15,871,401 

1862  

1898 

15,906,478 

1863  _ 

1899  

15,336,031 

1864  _  >  .  ,_ 

1900  

15,863,355 

1865  _ 

1901 

16,989,014 

1866  

1902 

16,910,320 

1867  _ 

1903 _ 

16,471,264 

1868  _ 

1904  

19,109,600 

1869 

1905  

19,197,043 

1870 

1906  

18,732.452 

1871 

1907   

16.727.928 

1872  _.  , 

1908   

18.761.559 

1873  

1909  

20.237.870 

1874  

1910  - 

1911  

19.715.440 

1875  

19.738.908 

1876  

1912     

19.713.478 

1877 

1913  

20.406,958 

1878 

1914  

20.653.496 

1879 

1915   

22.442.296 

1880  -,  ,  - 

1916   

21,410.741 

1881 

1917         _   _  __  __ 

20,087,504 

1882 

1918           

16,529,162 

1883 

Total        

$1,689,211,103 

IRIDIUM  (See  under  Platinum). 


! 


STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


51 


IRON  ORE. 
Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  IV,  V,  X,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV,  XV.     Bulletins  38,  67.     Am.  Inst.  Min.  Eng.,  Trans.  LIII. 
Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  115,  pp.  112,  117-122. 

Iron  ore  to  the  extent  of  3,108  tons,  valued  at  $15,947,  was  produced 
^in  San  Bernardino  and  Shasta  counties  during  the  year  1918.  It  was 
utilized  in  the  production  of  ferro-alloys  by  electric  furnace  reduction, 
and  for  foundry  flux. 

There  are  considerable  deposits  of  iron  ore  known  in  California, 
notably  in  Shasta,  Madera,  Placer,  Riverside  and  San  Bernardino  coun- 
ties, but  production  has  so  far  been  limited,  on  account  of  our  having 
no  economic  supply  of  coking  coal.  Some  pig-iron  has  been  made,  util- 
izing charcoal  for  fuel,  both  in  blast  furnaces  and  by  electrical 
reduction.  Further  developments  along  the  line  of  electrical  smelting, 
or  discoveries  making  available  our  petroleum  fuel,  for  iron  reduction, 
would  lead  to  considerable  increase  of  iron  mining  in  California.  For 
the  present,  at  least,  the  most  feasible  possibilities  lie  in  utilizing  our 
iron  resources  in  the  preparation  of  the  various  alloys  such  as  ferro- 
chrome,  ferro-manganese,  ferro-molybdenum,  ferro-silicon  and  ferro- 
\  tungsten,  by  means  of  the  electric  furnace.  California  possesses 
commercial  deposits  and  is  producing  ores  of  all  of  the  metals  just 
enumerated.  In  addition  to  two  electric  smelting  units  in  operation 
during  1918,  one  blast  furnace  unit  was  also  working  in  Shasta  County. 

During  1918,  the  Noble  Electric  Steel  Company  had  two  electric 
furnaces  at  Heroult,  Shasta  County,  in  operation,  as  well  as  a  blast 
furnace  unit;  and  the  Pacific  Electro  Metals  Company  made  ferro- 
manganese  with  an  electric  furnace  at  their  plant  at  Bay  Point, 
Contra  Costa  County. 

Total  iron  ore  production  in  the  state,  with  annual  amounts  and 
values,  is  as  follows: 


Tsar 

Toils 

Value       1 

1 

Tear 

Tone 

Value 

1881*    

9.273 

2.073 

11.191 

4.532 

$79,452 
17,766 

106.540 
40,963 

1909    

108 

579 

558 
2.508 

$174 

1882    

1910 

900 

1883   

1911    

558 

1884    

1912    

2.508 

1885 

1913    2.343 

4.485 

1886   

3.676 

19,250 

1914    1,436  1          5,128 

1887   

1915    „. 724            2.584 

1893   

250 
200 

2.000 
1.500 

1916    3.000 

1917   2.874 

1918  -!        3.108 

6.000 

1894    

1895 

11,496 
15.947 

1907 

400 

400 

Totals— 

1908    

48.833 

$317,671 

•Productions  for  the  years  1881-1886  (inc.)  were  reported  as  "tons  of  pig  iron," 
(U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res.  1885),  and  for  the  table  herewith  are  calculated  to  "tons  of 
ore"  on  the  basis  of  47.6%  Fe  as  shown  by  an  average  of  analyses  of  the  ores  (State 
Mineralogist's  Report  IV,  p.  242).  This  early  production  of  pig  iron  was  from  the 
blast  furnaces  then  in  operation  at  Hotaling  in  Placer  County.  Charcoal  was  used 
in  lieu  of  coke.  Though  producing  a  superior  grade  of  metal,  they  were  obliged 
finally  to  close  down,  as  they  could  not  compete  with  the  cheaper  English  and 
eastern  United  States  iron  brought  in  by  sea  to  San  Francisco. 


52 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF   CALIFORNIA. 


LEAD. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  YIII,  X,  XV. 

Lead  production  in  California  in  1918  fell  off  to  a  little  over  half 
that  of  the  preceding  year,  both  in  quantity  and  value.     The  average 
price  dropped  from  8.6^  in  1917  to  7.1^  per  pound  in  1918;  which, 
however,  is  still  considerably  above  the  pre-war  prices  of  3.9^  in  1914* 
and  4.7^  in  1915. 

The  principal  production  in  this  state  comes  from  Inyo  County,  which 
contributed  91%  of  the  1918  yield,  followed  by  San  Bernardino  and 
Shasta  in  the  order  named. 

County  returns  for  1918,  showing  amounts  and  values,  were : 


County 


Pounds 


Value 


Inyo 12,223,471  i       $867,866 


Mono 

San  Bernardino 
Shasta  


Calaveras,  Imperial,  Kern,  Mariposa,  Nevada,  Riverside, 
Siskiyou* 


1,318  94 

667,978  j  47,426 

492,565  j  34,972 


79,537 


Totals 13,464, 


5,648 


$956,006 


♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


Statistics  on  lead  production  in  California  were  first  compiled  by  this 
Bureau  in  1887.  Amount  and  value  of  the  output,  annually,  with  total 
figures,  to  date,  are  given  in  the  following  table : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1887 

580 
450 
470 
400 
570 
680 
333 
475 
796 
646 
298 
328 
360 
520 
360 
175 
55 

$52,200 
38,250 
35,720 
36,000 
49,020 
54,400 
24,975 
28,500 
49.364 
38,805 
20,264 
23,907 
30,642 
41,600 
28.820 
12,230 
3.960 

1904 

62 

266 

169 

164 

562 

1,343 

1,508 

701 

685 

1,820 

2,349 

2.398 

6,196 

10,826 

6,732 

$5,270 

1888  -_ _ 

1905 

25,083 

1889 

1906       

19,307 

1890 

1907 

16,690 

1891 

1908 

46  663 

1892 

1909 _ 

144,897 

1893 

1910 

134,082 

1894  -__ _ 

1911  -   _   _  _ 

63,173 

1895 

1912 

61653 

1896 

1913 

160,202 

1897 

1914 

183198 

1898 __. 

1915 

225,426 

1899 _ 

1916 _ 

855,049 

1900 

1917 __ 

1,862,016 

1901 _ 

1918  .  -   - 

956,006 

1902 

Totals  _  „ 

1903 

43,277 

$5,327,372 

STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  53 

MANGANESE. 
Bibliography.  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletins  38,  67,  76.    U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull.  427. 

In  the  statistical  reports  previous  to  1915,  manganese  ore  was  included 
in  the  'industrial  materials'  list.  In  that  year  we  made  a  transfer, 
and  have  since  placed  it  under  'metals,*  because  by  far  the  greater 
tonnage  of  manganese  ore  is  utilized  in  the  preparation  of  ferro-manga- 
nese  and  employed  in  the  steel  industry  both  for  its  metal  content  and 
to  slag  off  certain  impurities  during  the  open-hearth  treatment.  Though 
its  other  uses  may  be  classed  as  'chemical,'  the  tonnage  thus  consumed 
is  relatively  smaller.  Its  chemical  uses  are  as  a  decolorizer  or  oxidizer 
in  glass  manufacture,  and  as  a  constituent  in  electric  dry  batteries. 
The  chemical  uses  require  a  much  higher  grade  of  ore  than  the  steel 
industry.  For  steel  purposes,  an  iron  content  is  acceptable,  but  manga- 
nese should  exceed  40%.  Silicia  should  be  under  8%,  though  higher 
has  been  taken  during  the  recent  increased  demand.  Phosphorus  should 
be  under  0.20%.  For  electric  dry  cells,  the  iron  content  should  be 
under  1.5%  FcgOg,  and  SiOs,  under  6%.  For  glassmaking  the  manga- 
nese should  be  practically  free  of  iron.  On  account  of  the  high  prices 
prevailing  for  manganese  during  the  past  two  years,  it  is  stated  that 
selenium  was  replacing  it,  in  part  at  least,  in  glass  factories. 

The  following  schedule  of  prices  for  domestic  ore  was  arranged  by 
the  American  Iron  and  Steel  Institute,  and  approved  by  the  War  Indus- 
tries Board,  effective  from  May  28,  1918,  until  the  market  broke  follow- 
ing the  signing  of  the  armistice  in  November : 

"Prices  are  per  unit  of  metallic  manganese  per  long  ton  (2240  lb.),  for  ore  mined 
and  shipped  from  all  points  west  of  South  Chicago,  Illinois.  The  prices  are  on  basis 
of  delivery,  f.o.b.  cars  South  Chicago.  When  shipped  to  other  destinations  than 
Chicago,  the  freight-rate  per  gross  ton  from  shipping  point  to  South  Chicago  is  to 
be  deducted  to  give  the  price  f.o.b.  shipping  point.  For  ore  shipped  to  points  east 
of  Chicago,  15c  per  unit  is  to  be  added  to  the  schedule  given  below.  Chemical  ores 
are  not  included.    Prices  are  based  on  ore  dried  at  212°  F. 

Mn,  %                                                   Per  unit  Mn,  %  Per  unit 

35  to  35.99 $0.86  \     45  to  45.99 $1.12 

36  to  36.99 1 0.90  \     46  to  46.99 1.14 

37  to  37.99 0.94  :     47  to  47.99 1.16 

38  to  38.99 - 0.98         48  to  48.99 1.18 

39  to  39.99 1.00  '     49  to  49.99 1.20 

40  to  40.99 1.02  i     50  to  50.99 1.22 

41  to  41.99 1.04  i     51  to  51.99 1.24 

42  to  42.99 1.C6  j     52  to  52.99 1.26 

43  to  43.99 1.08  I     53  to  53.99 1.28 

44  to  44.99 . 1.10  ;    54  and  over 1.30 

"These  prices  are  net  to  producer,  buyers  to  pay  salary  or  commission  of  their 
agents.  In  payment,  80%  of  estimated  value  of  the  ore  (less  moisture  and  freight 
from  shipping  point)  to  be  paid  against  railroad  bill-of-lading,  with  attached 
analysis,  balance  on  receipt  of  ore  by  buyer. 

"The  above  prices  are  based  on  ore  carrying  not  over  8%  silica  and  0.25%  phos- 
phorus.    Bonuses  and  penalties  are  as  under: 

Bonuses.  Penalties. 

SiO-,  %  Per  ton  Si02,  %  Per  ton 

Each  1%  between  8  and  5% $0.50        Each  1%  from  8  to  15% $0.50 

Each  1%  under  5% 1.00        Eacn  1%  from  15  to  20% 0.75 

Each  1%  from  20  to  25% 1.00 

"For  each  0.01%  in  excess  of  0.25%  phosphorus  there  is  a  penalty  against  unit 
price  paid  for  manganese  of  i%  per  unit  figured  to  fractions." 


54  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNU. 

Thougli  the  imports  of  manganese  ore  from  the  Caucasus  district 
in  Russia  were  reduced  by  the  war  to  practically  nothing  (about  1% 
of  1914  figures),  the  United  States  received  important  shipments  from 
Brazil,  India  and  Cuba;  so  that  the  total  imports  for  1916  were  prac- 
tically double  those  of  either  1914  or  1915.  The  1916  figures  were 
576,321  long  tons,  valued  at  $8,666,179 ;  for  1917,  a  total  of  629,972 
long  tons,  valued  at  $10,262,929,  of  which  512,517  tons  were  from  Brazil ; 
and  in  1918  a  total  of  491,303  long  tons,  valued  at  $15,095,867,  of  which 
345,877  tons  were  from  Brazil.  The  increased  demand  for  steel  products 
increased  the  necessity  for  ferro-manganese,  which  is  used  largely 
in  the  open-hearth  process  of  steel  making.  This  resulted  in  curtail- 
ment of  ferro-manganese  exports  from  England,  and  the  resulting 
shortage  in  the  United  States  was  met  by  the  greater  imports  of  man- 
ganese ore  from  Brazil  especially,  and  an  increased  domestic  production 
both  of  ore  and  ferro-manganese.  These  conditions  caused  the  prices 
for  the  ores  to  range  from  $30-$60  per  ton,  f.o.b.  rail,  California,  for 
the  steel  grades,  to  above  $75  for  chemical  grades. 

Reports  received  by  the  Survey'  from  makers  of  manganese  alloys — 
ferro-manganese  and  spiegeleisen — 

"indicate  that  35  per  cent  of  the  metallic  manganese  used  in  the  alloys  made  and 
imported  during  1918  was  derived  from  ores  mined  in  the  United  States.  As  the 
proportion  of  domestic  manganese  in  such  alloys  was  only  4  per  cent  in  1913  and 
16  per  cent  in  1916  the  domestic  miners  of  manganese  made  a  notable  contribution 
to  the  nation's  independence  in  mineral  supplies  in  war  time.  Had  the  war  continued 
for  another  year  domestic  ores  would  probably  have  supplied  half  the  manganese  in 
the  manganese  alloys  needed  by  the  country." 

Batteries,  chemicals,  and  kindred  industries  in  the  United  States 
consume  approximately  25,000  tons  of  high-grade  manganese  ore, 
annually,  or  about  one-thirtieth  of  that  used  in  steel  manufacture. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  state 's  1917  and  1918  product  was  util- 
ized in  California  in  making  ferro-manganese  by  electric  furnace; 
besides  shipments  which  were  sent  East.  Some  'chemical'  ore  was 
also  shipped.  For  many  years  the  principal  producing  section  has 
been  the  Livermore-Tesla  district,  in  Alameda  and  San  Joaquin  coun- 
ties, but  exceeded  in  1915  by  Mendocino  and  regaining  the  lead  in  1916. 
In  1918  the  largest  producing  county  was  Stanislaus,  which  adjoins 
San  Joaquin  on  the  south,  and  whose  manganese  district  is  a  part  of 
the  same  geological  province  that  includes  the  Livermore-Tesla  district.^ 
Manganese  is  reported  to  exist  in  many  localities  in  the  state;  but  for 
a  number  of  years,  particularly  since  the  discontinuance  of  the  chlori- 
nation  process  in  the  metallurgy  of  gold,  production  was  relatively 
unimportant  until  the  activity  of  the  war  period  just  closed. 

The  production  of  manganese  ore  in  California  for  1918  amounted  to 
26,075  tons  of  all  grades,  having  a  total  value  of  $979,235  f.o.b.  railway 

'U.  -S.  Geol.  Surv..  Press  Bulletin  No.  414,  July,  1919,  p.  1. 
'See  Plate  IT,  p.  24,  Cal,  State  Min.  Bur.  Bulletin  No.  76,  1918. 


STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


55 


shipping  point.     This  is  an  increase  both  in  quantity  and  value  over 
the  1917  figures.     The  1916  output  nearly  equaled  the  entire  previous 
tonnage,  1887-1915,  and  was  about  double  the  value  for  the  same  period. 
The  1918  output  was  distributed  by  counties  as  follows: 


County 


Value 


Alameda  

Humboldt  

Imperial  - 

Mendocino  _„ - — — — 

Plumas   - 

Riverside  

San  Joaquin 

San  Luis  Obispo 

Santa  Clara 

Sonoma _ - 

Stanislaus — _ _ — 

Amador,  Butte,  Kern,  Lake,  Los  Angeles,  Nevada,  Placer, 
San  Benito,  San  Bernardino,  Tuolumne*.. 


$109,874 

57,751 

46.900 

58,962 

61.754 

152.694 

117,709 

81,926 

38.301 

7,645 

222,422 

23.297 


Totals. 


$979,235 


♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

In  1918  there  were  two  electric  smelters  in  operation  in  California 
making  ferro-alloys :  the  plant  of  the  Noble  Electric  Steel  Company  at 
Heroult,  Shasta  County,  and  the  newer  one  of  the  Pacific  Electro  Metals 
Company  at  Bay  Point,  Contra  Costa  County. 

Production  of  manganese  ore  in  California  began  at  the  Ladd  Mine, 
San  Joaquin  County,  in  the  Tesla  District  in  1867.  When  shipments 
of  this  ore  to  England  ceased  late  in  1874,  upwards  of  5,000  tons  had. 
been  produced  by  that  property.  For  some  years  following  that,  the 
output  was  small.  The  tabulation  herewith  shows  the  California  output 
of  manganese  ore,  annually,  since  1887,  when  the  compilation  of  such 
figures  was  begun  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tom 

Value 



1887       -     

1,000 
1,500 
53 
386 
705 
300 
270 
523 
880 
518 
504 
440 
295 
131 
425 
870 
1 

i 

$9,000  i 

13,500 

901 

3,176 

3,830  1 

3,000  i 

4,050  1 

5,512  1 

8,200 

3,415 

4,080 

2,102  , 

3,165 

1,310 

4.405 

7,140 

25 

1904 - 

60 

$900 

1888 

1905 

1889 

1906 

1 

1 
321 

3 
265 

2 
22 

30 

1890 

1907 

25 

1891 

1908 

5.785 

1892 

1909   

75 

1893 

1910 

4,235 

1894 

1911  

40 

1895 

1912  

400 

1896 

1913  _ 

1897 

1914 

150 

4,013 

13,404 

15,515 

26,075 

1,500 

1898  - 

1915  .„ 

1916  - 

49.098 

1899 

274,601 

1900 

1917        

396.659 

1901 

1918   

979,235 

1902 _.. 

1903 

Totals     -  — — - 

68.633 

$1,789,394 

66  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

MOLYBDENUM. 
Bibliography :  Report  XIV.     Bulletin  67.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  Min.,  Bul- 
letin 111.     Proc.  Colo.  Sei.  Soc.,  Vol.  XI. 

Molybdenum,  as  the  metal,  is  used  as  an  alloy  constituent  in  the  steel 
industry,  and  in  certain  forms  of  electrical  apparatus.  Included  in  the 
latter,  is  its  successful  substitution  for  platinum  and  platinum-iridium 
in  electric  contact-making  and  breaking  devices.  In  alloys  it  is  used 
similarly  to  and  in  conjunction  with  chromium,  cobalt,  iron,  manga- 
nese, nickel,  tungsten,  and  vanadium.  The  oxides  and  the  ammonium 
salt  have  important  chemical  uses. 

The  two  principal  molybdenum  minerals  are:  the  sulphide,  molyb- 
denite; and  wulfenite,  lead  molybdate,  the  former  furnishing  prac- 
tically the  entire  commercial  output.  Molybdenite  is  found  in  or  asso- 
ciated with  acidic  igneous  rocks,  such  as  the  granites  and  pegmatites. 
The  chief  commercial  sources  have  been  New  South  Wales,  Queensland, 
and  Norway,  with  some  also  from  Canada. 

Deposits  of  disseminated  molybdenite  are  known  in  several  localities 
in  California,  and  in  at  least  two  places  it  occurs  in  small  masses  asso- 
ciated with  copper  sulphides.  In  1916',  was  recorded  the  first  commer- 
cial shipments  of  molybdenum  ore  in  California. 

The  1917  output  included  some  concentrates  assaying  up  to  58% 
MoSo,  but  the  bulk  of  it  was  1.5%  ore  which  was  shipped  to  Denver, 
Colorado,  for  concentration.  That  production  came  mainly  from  Shasta 
County,  with  smaller  amounts  from  Inyo,  Mono  and  San  Diego  counties. 
There  were  two  concentrating  plants  built  in  California — one  in  each 
of  the  first  and  last-named  above  counties. 

In  1917  the  plant  of  the  Sacramento  Mining  Company,  lessee,  at  the 
Bour  mine  near  Ramona,  San  Diego  County,  made  a  small  output  of 
concentrates;  but  the  mine  has  since  reverted  to  the  owner,  and  the 
plant  dismantled. 

In  the  spring  of  1918,  a  flotation  plant  operated  for  a  short  time  by 
a  lessee  on  the  Boulder  Creek  mine,  near  Gibson  Siding,  Shasta  County, 
made  a  small  amount  of  90%  M0S2  concentrate.  The  ore  treated 
carried  2.6%  M0S2.  This  being  the  only  producer  in  the  state  for 
1918,  the  figures  are  concealed  under  the  '  Unapportioned '  item. 

The  California  production  of  molybdenum  ore  by  years  is  summar- 
ized in  the  following  tabulation : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

1916 - __      

8 
243 

$9,945 
9  014 

1917  ,— 

1918    __ 

* 

Totals   _... _ 

251 

$18,959 

•Concealed  under  'unapportioncd.' 

STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


57 


NICKEL. 

Bibliography :  Report  XIV.    U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bulletin  640-D. 

Nickel  occurs  in  the  Friday  Copper  Mine  in  the  Julian  District,  San 
Diego  County.  The  ore  is  a  nickel-bearing  pyrrhotite,  with  some  asso- 
ciated chalcopyrite.  Some  ore  has  been  mined  during  the  past  four 
years  in  the  course  of  development  work,  but  not  treated  nor  disposed 
of,  as  they  are  as  yet  unable  to  get  any  smelter  to  handle  it  for  them. 
Nickel  ore  has  also  been  reported  from  Siskiyou  County,  west  of  Gazelle 
and  from  San  Bernardino  County. 

OSMIUM  (see  under  Platinum). 

PALLADIUM  (see  under  Platinum). 


PLATINUM. 
Bihliograpky :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  VIII,  IX,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV.     Bulletins  38,  45,  67,  85  (in  press) .    U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull.  28o. 

In  California  platinum  is  obtained  as  a  by-product  from  placer  oper- 
ations for  gold.  The  major  portion  of  it  comes  from  the  dredges  oper- 
ating in  Butte,  Calaveras,  Sacramento  and  Yuba  counties,  while  the 
hydraulic  and  surface  sluicing  mines  of  Del  Norte,  Humboldt,  Siskiyou 


Dredge  No.   11   of  the  Natomas   Company  near  Folsom,    Sacramento   County.     Of 
the  platinum  produced  in  California  in  1918,   the  gold  dredges  yielded  97.5  per  cent. 


58 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


and  Trinity  and  the  dredges  of  Merced  and  Stanislaus  yield  a  smaller 
amount. 

The  production  for  1918  amounted  to  571  ounces  of  crude  platinum- 
group  metals,  valued  at  a  total  of  $42,788.  Of  this  amount  a  total  of 
557  oz.,  or  97.5%,  came  from  the  gold  dredges.  Crude  platinum  varies 
considerably  in  its  purity.  That  marketed  in  recent  years^  has  averaged 
around  51%  platinum,  3%  iridium,  and  30%  osmiridium  or  iridosmine. 
Some  platinum  is  also  recovered  in  the  electrolytic  refining  of  blister 
copper.  It  has  been  found^  that  blister  copper  from  several  smelters 
in  the  United  States  carries  from  0.342  oz.  to  1.825  oz.  platinum  and 
from  0.607  oz.  to  4.402  oz.  palladium  per  100  tons  of  blister  copper 
treated.  That  from  Iron  Mountain,  Shasta  County,  California,  also 
yields  some  platinum.  Iron  in  greater  or  less  amount  is  always  alloyed 
naturally  with  native  platinum,  and  usually  some  iridium  and  osmium. 

In  addition,  there  is  usually  some  platinum  recovered  as  a  by-product 
in  the  gold  refinery  of  the  Mint,  but  which  cannot  be  assigned  to  the 
territory  of  its  origin  for  lack  of  knowing  to  which  lots  of  gold  it  belongs. 
The  San  Francisco  Mint  is  stated  to  have  recovered  as  high  as  100 
ounces  of  platinum  in  a  single  year  from  this  source,  some  of  which 
unquestionably  came  from  California  mines. 

"United  States  refiners  of  gold  and  copper  produce  annually  about  1,500  ounces  of 
refined  platinum  as  a  by-product,  chiefly  from  copper  ore,  of  both  foreign  and  domestic 
origin."3 

For  1918,  the  distribution  by  counties,  was  as  follows : 


County 

Ounces 

Value 

Butte                  -                     — 

tll4 

10 

1 

2 

35 

1 

t41 

189 

178 

$7,723 

Calaveras        _  _ 

598 

Del  Norte    — 

97 

Humboldt       

140 

Shasta       _            __-      --__ 

2,709 

Siskiyou       - _    _ 

58 

Trinity _ 

3,136 

Yuba  _    -  -       __-    ___    _-      _    __      _-__>-_      _    ___ 

12,930 

Amador.t  Mendocino,  Merced,  Nevada,  Plumas,  Sacramento.t 
San  Joaquin,  Stanislaus* __- 

15.397 

Totals  _ 

571 

$42,788 

♦CJombined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each, 
tinclud  s  a  small  percentage  of  palladium. 

Russia  previous  to  the  war,  was  producing  from  90%  to  95%  of  the 
world's  platinum ;  but,  according  to  U.  S.  Consular  Reports,  the  yield  for 
1916  was  reduced  to  one-third  of  the  normal,  on  account  of  the  * 'scarcity 
of  labor  in  the  case  of  hand  washings  by  tributers,  and  in  the  case  of 
mechanical  dredging  plants  by  the  difficulty  in  obtaining  spare  parts 

*U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res.,  1914,  Pt.  I,  p.  336. 

=Trans.  Am.  Inst.  Min.  Eng.,  Vol.  47,  pp.  217-218,  1913. 

•HUl.  J.  M.,  Our  mineral  supplies.    Platinum:  U.   S.  Geol.  Surv.,  Bulletin  666-D,   1917. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  59 

for  dredges" — ^both,  a  reflection  of  war  conditions.  Since  then  it  has 
practically  ceased  entirely. 

The  price  of  the  metal  has  consequently  risen  to  over  $100  per  troy 
fine  ounce.  During  1916,  it  varied  from  $90  in  January,  to  $55  in 
August,  $105  December  1st,  and  closing  the  year  at  $82.  The  1917 
price  was  from  $100  to  $105.  In  1916,  the  miners  of  California  received 
from  $43  to  $76  per  ounce  for  their  crude  platinum,  and  an  average  of 
$45.50,  as  against  $29  to  $38  per  ounce  during  1915.  In  1917,  they 
received  an  average  of  $72  per  ounce,  and  $74.50  in  1918  for  crude. 
During  1918  the  U.  S.  Government  commandeered  all  new  platinum  pro- 
duced at  a  fixed  price  of  $105  per  fine  ounce.  The  refiners  were  licensed 
and  were  required  to  turn  over  all  stocks  to  the  Government.  Osmium 
was  quoted  at  $35-$40  per  ounce,  and  iridium  at  $175.  Osmiridium  is 
a  natural  alloy  of  the  two. 

Recently  (July  7,  1919),  announcement  was  made  from  Washington 
that  the  Division  of  Sales  of  Munitions  of  the  War  Department  would 
dispose  of  19,000  ounces  of  platinum,  worth  approximately  $2,000,000, 
at  a  minimum  cost  of  $105  an  ounce.  The  platinum  will  be  allocated 
to  eight  of  the  leading  firms  dealing  in  the  metal  for  disposal  and  each 
firm,  while  receiving  no  commission  on  the  sale,  will  be  given  actual 
cost  in  handling  the  platinum. 

Dealers  in  platinum  had  been  expecting  this  action.  It  was  stated  in 
the  trade  that  the  amount  of  metal  to  be  sold  by  the  Government  would 
not  be  sufficiently  large  to  force  prices  down,  as  there  is  an  acute 
shortage.  Before  the  war  Russia  had  an  annual  output  of  250,000 
ounces  of  platinum.  The  metal  now  is  quoted  in  the  United  States  at 
$105  to  $107  an  ounce.  In  recent  weeks  manufacturing  jewelers  have 
found  it  difficult  to  keep  their  trade  supplied  with  platinum  goods,  for 
which  the  demand  is  stated  to  have  been  unusually  large. 

Next  in  importance  to  Russia  as  a  producer  of  platinum  is  Colombia. 
California  is  the  leading  producer  in  the  United  States.  There  have 
been  occasional  reports  of  platinum  in  California  being  found  in  vein 
materials,  but  as  yet  no  authentic  case  has  come  to  the  notice  of  the 
laboratory  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  As  platinum  and  chromite  are 
alike  in  their  association  with  serpentine  derived  from  basic  igneous 
rocks  such  as  peridotite,  pyroxenite  and  dunite,  it  is  not  unlikely  that 
some  day  platinum  will  be  found  in  place  in  some  of  California's 
abundant,  chrome-bearing  serpentine  areas.  Platinum  and  chromite 
have  been  found  intergrown  in  dunite  on  the  Tulameen  River  in  British 
Columbia. 

Besides  its  well-known  uses  in  jewelry,  dentistry  and  for  chemical- 
ware,  an  important  industrial  development  of  recent  years  employs 


60 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


platinum  as  a  catalyzer  in  the  *  contact  process*  of  manufacturing  con- 
centrated sulphuric  acid.  It  is  also  necessary  for  certain  delicate  parts 
of  the  ignition  systems  in  automobiles,  motor  boats,  and  aeroplanes. 

Because  of  the  effect  of  the  limited  supply  and  the  high  prices  of 
platinum  on  the  industrial  situation  during  the  war,  the  jewelers'  and 
dentists'  associations  voluntarily  agreed  to  curtail  consumption  of  this 
metal  so  far  as  possible.  Experiments-  have  been  made  to  find  alloys 
which  can  replace  platinum  for  dishes  and  crucibles  in  analytical  work, 
but  so  far  with  only  slight  success. 

The  annual  production  and  value  since  1887,  have  been  as  follows : 


Tear 

Ounces 

Value 

Tear 

Ounces 

Value 

1887 

100 

500 

500 

600 

100 

80 

75 

100 

150 

162 

150 

300 

300 

400 

250 

39 

70 

$400 

2.000 

2,000 

2,500 

500 

440 

517 

600 

900 

944 

900 

1,800 

1,800 

2.500 

3.200 

468 

1.052 

1904 

1905 

123 

200 
91 
300 
706 
416 
337 
511 
603 
368 
463 
667 
886 
610 
571 

$1,849 

3,320 

1,647 

6,255 

13,414 

10,400 

8,386 

14,873 

19,731 

17,738 

14,816 

21,149 

42,642 

43,719 

42  788 

1888 _ 

1889 

1906 

1890 

1907 

1891 

1908 

1892 

1909 

1893 

1910 

1894 „_ 

1911 

1895 

1912 

1896 _ _ 

1913 

1897  - 

1914 

1898 

1915 

1899 

1916 

1917  

1918 

1900 

1901 

1902 

Totals 

1903 

10,722 

$285,248 

QUICKSILVER. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.     Bulletins  27,  78.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Monograph  XIII. 

Quicksilver  was  produced  in  14  counties  in  1918,  to  the  amount  of 
22,621  flasks,  valued  at  $2,579,472,  which  is  a  decrease  in  number  of 
flasks  but  an  increase  in  value  compared  with  the  year  1917,  owing  to 
the  higher  average  sale  price.  The  average  price  received  during  1918, 
according  to  the  producers'  reports  to  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  was 
$114.03,  which  surpasses  the  former  record  of  $105.18  for  the  year 
1874.  The  war  caused  a  considerable  rise  in  the  price  of  quicksilver, 
due  to  the  prohibition  of  exports  from  Europe,  to  say  nothing  of  its 
increased  use  in  munitions  manufacture.  An  increased  production  in 
California  has  resulted ;  but  the  future  is  decidedly  uncertain. 

Prices. 

The  following  table  of  monthly  San  Francisco  quotations  per  flask  of 
75  pounds,  will  indicate  the  decided  change  in  the  status  of  quicksilver 
during  the  year  1918,  as  compared  with  the  pre-war  price  of  about  $37 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


61 


62 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OP  CALIFORNIA. 


per  flask.  San  Francisco  is  the  primary  domestic  market  for  quick- 
silver. The  1914  quotations  averaged  $49.05  i)er  flask.  However, 
because  since  the  war  there  has  been  speculation  in  quicksilver  by 
parties  other  than  the  actual  producers,  and  the  price  changes  have 
often  been  rapid  so  that  quotations  did  not  always  mean  sales,  we  have 
since  1914  taken  for  the  average  value  the  average  actual  sales  as 
reported  to  us  by  the  producers.  This  gives  us  an  average  value  of 
$81.52  per  flask  for  the  year  1915,  instead  of  the  $85.80  average  ol: 
quotations;  for  1916,  $93.50  instead  of  $125.89;  for  1917,  $98.29 
instead  of  $106.33 ;  and  for  1918,  $114.03  instead  of  $117.50. 

San  Francisco  Quotations  of  Quicksilver,  1918. 


Month 


January  _ 
February 
March  ___ 

April 

May 

June   


Average 
price 


$128  06 
118  00 
112  00 
115  00 
110  00 
112  00 


Month 


July 

August  ___ 
September 
October  __ 
November 
December 


Average 
price 


$120  00 
120  00 
120  00 
120  00 
120  00 
115  00 


The  decline  in  the  price,  following  the  armistice  in  Europe,  continued 
to  a  low  level  of  $72.80  average  for  the  month  of  March,  1919.  Since 
then  it  has  slowly  advanced  to  a  present  (July  12,  1919)  quotation 
of  $100  per  flask.  A  good  demand  is  reported  for  export  to  the 
Orient. 

During  1918  the  U.  S.  Government  took  40%  of  the  American  output 
of  quicksilver  at  a  flxed  price  of  $105  per  flask.  The  balance  could  be 
sold  in  the  open  market  at  whatever  price  obtainable.  As  noted 
above,  quotations  were  considerably  above  the  government  price. 

Present  Economic  Situation. 

The  famous  mines  at  Almaden,  Spain,  are  the  largest  world  producers. 
These  mines  are  owned  by  the  government  and  operated  by  contractors 
using  convict  labor.  The  cost  of  production  of  quicksilver  is  stated  to 
have  increased  from  $8.29  a  flask  in  1900  to  $15.22  in  1915.  Their  ore 
is  high-grade,  the  material  sent  to  the  furnaces  averaging  9%-ll% 
mercury. 

For  two  or  three  years  previous  to  the  outbreak  of  the  European  war, 
our  normal  peace-times  consumption  of  quicksilver  in  the  United  States 
was  approximately  25,000  flasks  annually ;  and  our  domestic  production 
had  fallen  below  20,000  flasks  per  year.  Of  this  25,000-flask  peace-time 
consumption,  nearly  50%  went  into  the  manufacture  of  fulminate  for 
explosive  caps  for  mining,  quarrying,  and  sporting  arms  ammunition  as 
well  as  military  ammunition.  Our  domestic  production  being  inade- 
quate, partly  because  of  the  low  price  and  the  lower  average  tenor  of 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


63 


64  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

the  ores  mined,  necessitated  the  importation  of  up  to  5,000  flasks  annu- 
ally. The  enormous  increase  in  munitions  manufacture  due  to  the  war, 
temporarily  raised  our  requirements  correspondingly. 

The  imports  of  quicksilver  into  the  United  States  for  the  six  months 
ending  June  30,  1918,  amounted  to  3,491  flasks  valued  at  $365,930.  The 
exports  (mainly  to  the  Orient)  were  3,100  flasfe  valued  at  $338,680, 
for  the  year  1918. 

The  import  duty  of  10%  ad  valorem  is  not  sufficient  to  protect  our 
American  miners  against  the  competition  of  the  convict-operated  mines 
of  Spain  where  quicksilver  can  be  produced  for  as  low  as  $8-$15  per 
flask,  as  noted  above.  The  duty  should  be  at  least  $25  per  flask  to  give 
us  proper  protection.  The  improvement  in  the  price  increased  the 
number  of  operating  properties  in  California  during  1916-1918.  Lower 
grade  ores  are  being  worked;  and  new  methods  of  ore  dressing  and 
reduction  have  been  tried. 

Since  the  signing  of  the  armistice,  all  but  about  five  of  California's 
mines  have  been  closed,  owing  to  the  uncertainty  of  the  future.  The 
industry  here  is  in  danger  of  extinction  due  to  the  prospect  of  dumping 
from  Europe,  because  we  have  not  sufficient  tariff  protection. 

In  June,  1918,  the  U.  S.  Tariff  Commission  held  a  conference  in  San 
Francisco  with  the  quicksilver  producers,  at  which  time  many  inter- 
esting and  valuable  facts  with  reference  to  the  industry  were  brought 
out. 

The  following  paragraphs  are  quoted  from  their  report :' 

"Competitive  Conditions. 

"In  1914  most  American  producers  were  losing  money.  Now  (1918)  most  of 
them  are  making  money.  Prevailing  prices  are  two  or  three  times  those  existing 
before  the  war.  The  American  industry  has  temporarily  practical  immunity  from 
foreign  competition.  Imports  continue  in  substantial  amount,  but  the  metal  brought 
in  is  supplementary  to  the  domestic  supply.  No  stocks  are  held  by  brokers  and  the 
disposal  of  flasks  is  merely  a  matter  of  transportation.  Small  advances  have  been 
made  in  American  metallurgy,  which  is  probably  more  eflficient  than  that  of  any 
of  the  other  producing  countries.  Both  Italy  and  Austria  have  had  efficient  reduction 
methods.  A  new  furnace  was  installed  in  Austria  in  1914  that  has  a  capacity  of 
140  tons  a  day.  This  is  twice  as  great  as  any  previous  foreign  furnace  and  should 
still  further  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  operation  and  reduce  its  cost.  Eeduction 
methods  in  Spain  have  been  costly  and  inefficient,  but  the  high  metal  content  of 
the  ore  counteracted  the  most  wasteful  methods,  and  although  the  cost  per  ton 
of  ore  treated  is  seven  times  that  in  Austria,  the  cost  per  flask  is  much  less. 

"The  rise  in  cost  of  production  in  the  United  States  has  not  kept  pace  with  the 
price  increase.  There  are  no  data  on  which  to  estimate  the  increased  cost  in  foreign 
countries  since  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  the  increase  has  been 
as  great  in  any  country  as  in  the  United  States.  The  following  estimates  of  1918 
costs  are  taken  from  the  Report  of  the  Tariff  Commission  Conference  in  San 
Francisco: 


Country 

Grade  of  ore  (average) 

Production 

cost 

per  flask 

Spain 

11       per  cent,  or  220  pounds  a  ton $10  to  $25 

1       per  cent,  or    20  pounds  a  ton. '     15  to    28 

0.8    per  cent,  or    16  pounds  a  ton 1     28  to    35 

0.25  per  cent  or     5  Dounds  a  ton                 !     70  fr\    ik 

Austria   

Italy  

United  States 

"Cost  figures  for  the  New  Idria  mine,  the  largest  quicksilver  producer  in  the 
United  States,  producing  approximately  one-third  of  the  total  domestic  output, 
were  presented  by  H.  W.  Gould  before  the  United  States  Tariff  Commission  at 
the  conference  in  San  Francisco.  The  following  summary  indicates  the  increase  in 
cost  since  the  beginning  of  the  war  i^ 

lU.   S.   Tariff   Comm..    2d   Annual   Report,    1917-1918.   pp.    88-90,    1919. 

2DetaUed  costs  are  given  In  Report  of  Quicksilver  Conference,  pp.  27-29,  and  in  auxiliary  flies  of 
commission. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


65 


JL 


"Domestic  Costs  of  Production. 
"New  Idria  Quicksilver  Mining  Co.:  Comparative  costs,  1914-1917. 


Tear 


Cost 
per 
flask 


Cost 
per  ton 


Price 
received 


of  ore        per  flask 


1914 


62,578 


1917 i     125.445 


$5  44 
4  50 


$41  00 
92  70 


"The  net  income  of  the  company  in  1917,  not  deducting  Federal  income  taxes, 
was  $215,176.74,  as  compared  with  a  loss  of  $43,010.28  in  1914. 

•Wages  increased  75  per  cent  during  the  period  1915-18.  This  is  a  serious  item  as 
labor  amounts  to  43  per  cent  of  the  total  cost  of  production  at  New  Idria.  At  the 
Sulphur  Bank  mine,  a  large  low  grade  steam-shovel  operation,  the  labor  cost  is 
less,  proportionately.     At  smaller  mines,  it  is  greater. 

"The  average  cost  of  producing  a  flask  of  75  pounds  of  quicksilver  was  stated 
to  have  been  $50  for  a  period  of  five  years  preceding  the  war,  among  California 
producers.  As  the  price  of  metal  was  only  a  little  over  $35  during  this  period  the 
miners  were  operating  at  a  loss. 

"The  big  cost  in  the  production  of  quicksilver  is  the  mining  of  the  ore.  Mining 
costs  have  usually  been  at  least  three  times  the  reduction  costs.  At  present  the 
ratio  is  probably  a  little  higher  and  likely  to  increase.  Reduction  costs  have  been 
kept  down  by  increased  efficiency.  The  average  cost  per  ton  of  ore  treated  in  a 
Scott  furnace  is  between  70  and  80  cents.  Fuel  requirements  as  low  as  0.031  cords 
of  wood  per  ton  of  ore  have  been  reported  for  a  Scott  furnace,  but  it  is  doubtful 
if  such  a  small  consumption  is  general.  Rotary  kilns,  recently  tested  at  New  Idria, 
have  shown  a  somewhat  better  fuel  economy  than  the  Scott  furnace.  The  lower 
first  cost  and  generally  cheaper  operation  may  result  in  a  slight  decrease  in  reduction 
costs,  but  the  great  need  is  for  a  lowering  of  the  mining  costs,  if  the  cost  per  flask 
is  to  be  reduced.  It  is  doubtful  if  this  is  possible  as  American  mining  is  efficient  and 
as  cheap  as  possible  under  high  labor  and  material  cost. 

"A  factor  that  keeps  up  the  cost  of  American  mining  is  the  pockety  nature  of 
many  of  the  deposits  that  require  continual  prospecting  and  the  driving  of  many 
'dead'  drifts  through  barren  ground  to  connect  kidneys  of  ore.  At  one  mine 
(Guadalupe,  California,)  at  least,  prospecting  accounts  for  75  per  cent  of  the  under- 
ground cost. 

"The  average  cost  per  flask  in  1917  in  the  United  States  was  between  $60  and  $70. 
The  average  costs  of  six  mines  during  the  first  half  of  1918,  whose  output  represents 
63  per  cent  of  the  total  United  States  production,  was  $61.12  per  flask.  Five  other 
mines,  representing  18  per  cent  of  total  production,  averaged  $91.12  per  flask.  Of 
these  11,  only  4  properties  reported  profitable  operation  in  1916.^  The  average  cost 
of  all  the  quicksilver  produced  in  this  period  in  the  United  States  was  between  $70 
and  $75  per  flask. 

"In  the  world  market  American  producers  are  at  a  distinct  disadvantage.  No 
metallurgical  advances  that  can  conceivably  be  made  can  offset  the  marked  handicap 
of  their  low  grade  ore  bodies.  Even  assuming  that,  by  careful  management  and 
technical  superiority,  the  American  miner  cuts  dov%n  his  costs  per  ton,  in  the  face 
of  higher  wage  costs,  to  a  figure  lower  than  the  European,  the  handicap  of  a 
possible  recovery  of  only  5  pounds  of  metal  a  ton  as  against  16  to  220  pounds  from 
the  same  amount  of  foreign  ore  is  a  serious  one. 

"The  decreasing  grade  of  American  ore  has  resulted  in  a  steady  reduction  in  the 
output  of  metal  per  furnace.  To  offset  this  reduction  some  new  furnaces  have  been 
built;  at  other  properties  wet  concentration  has  permitted  the  treatment  of  more 
ore,  as  the  higher  grade  concentrated  product  permits  a  larger  yield  of  metal  per 
furnace.  Doubt  as  to  the  stability  of  adequate  prices  has  held  up  the  investment  of 
the  capital  necessary  to  build  much  additional  permanent  equipment,  even  during 
the  period  of  high  war  prices. 

"Although  the  position  of  the  American  producer  has  been  a  prosperous  one  in 
the  war  market,  his  position  in  a  normal  market  is  a  real  problem.  Figures  as  to 
foreign  production  since  the  outbreak  of  the  war  can  not  be  secured,  but  it  is 
reasonable  to  assume  that  war  demands  have  stimulated  foreign  production  as  they 
have  the  domestic  production.  Before  the  war  the  world's  potential  production 
exceeded  requirements.  The  Almaden  mine  worked  only  about  six  months  each 
year.  Either  Spain  or  Austria  alone  could  probably  supply  the  peace  needs  of 
the  entire  world.  The  expanded  production  may  continue  for  some  time  after 
peace  is  declared.  This  will  result  in  an  accumulation  of  stocks  and  a  consequent 
break  in  price.  The  new  price  level  can  doubtless  be  met  by  foreign  producers,  but 
the  high  cost  domestic  producer  must  fall  out  unless  his  home  market  is  protected. 

"It  was  the  practically  unanimous  opinion  of  producers  attending  the  San  Fran- 
cisco conference  that  a  price  of  about  $100  a  flask  is  necessary  to  the  continuance 
of  Amerian  production  at  war-time  costs.  In  spite  of  the  large  price  increases  since 
the  war  began,  operators  in  the  quicksilver  industry  are  few  in  number.  Fully 
90  per  cent  of  the  output  now  (1918)  comes  from  companies  that  were  operating 
four  years  ago. 

"Producers  requested  a  tariff  of  $35  per  flask  in  addition  to  the  present  10  per 
cent  ad  valorem  duty*  for  protection  against  foreign  competition  after  the  war.     The 

31918  costs,  from  Report  by  Xon-Ferrous  Metals  Section,  War  Industries  Board  to  B.  S.  Brookings. 
chairman  Price  Fixing  Committee,  •  Not.  16.  1918.  1917  costs.  General  Reports  from  Industry.  No 
direct   investigation   of  quicksilver  mining   costs   made   by  U.    S.    Tariff  Commission. 

^Statement  of  H.  W.  Gould,  representing  the  producers  of  more  than  one-half  the  domestic  quick- 
silver, before  U.   S.   Tariff  Commission.  San  Francisco,   June  20,    1918.     Repoi;ts  of  Conference,   p.   56.  et  seq. 

5—47382 


ee 


MTNERATi  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


estimate  was  based  upon  a  $70  to  $75  cost  in  the  United  States,  as  compared  with 
the  price  that  Spanish  metal  can  be  put  down  in  New  York  ($40  per  flask), 

"No  claim  was  made  that  a  lower  tariff  would  result  in  the  abandonment  of  all 
domestic  quicksilver  mines,  but  it  was  the  opinion  that  the  above  protection  was 
necessary  to  a  continuance  of  a  production  sufllicient  to  supply  home  consumption." 

There  are  those  who  have  taken  the  position  that  we  should  buy 
where  we  can  get  the  metal  the  cheapest,  and  let  our  own  industry  "go 
hang,"  as  '^it  is  decadent"  anyway.  That  is  certainly  not  a  patriotic 
attitude;  nor  a  safe  one  either.  Though  its  total  value  may  be  small, 
as  compared  with  such  as  gold  or  copper,  yet  our  American  (which 
means  mainly,  Californian)  quicteilver  business  has  been  an  important 


New  arrangement  of  condenser  pipes  at  Oat  Hill  quicksilver  mine,  Napa  County. 

and  vital  industry  for  about  70  years.  A  quicksilver  mine  cannot  be 
left  idle  ''in  reserve"  and  then  opened  up  at  a  moment's  notice  for  an 
emergency. 

If,  and  when,  our  American  quicksilver  industry  is  extinguished  by 
lower-priced  foreign  competition,  we  will  then  be  at  their  mercy,  and 
they  can  later  raise  their  price  to  any  figure  they  want  and  we'll 
have  to  pay  it.  It  is  not  fair  to  our  American  capital  invested,  nor  to 
our  California  miners  (also  Nevada  and  Texas)  not  to  be  given  pro- 
tection against  the  convict-operated  and  other  cheap-labor  mines  of 
Spain,  Italy  and  Mexico. 


STATISTICS  OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  67 

The  meat  of  the  situation  is  summarized  by  the  Tariff  Commission 
in  the  following:^ 

"In  the  case  of  quicksilver,  the  question  can  be  squarely  raised  as  to  whether  the 
production  of  this  metal  can  be  considered  an  effective  American  industry,  inasmuch 
as  abundant,  cheaper  sources  of  supply  exist  elsewhere.  It  is  particularly  an  example 
of  an  industry  whose  products  are  placed  on  the  market  at  high  cost  because  of 
the  relatively  inferior  natural  resources  of  this  country  in  the  raw  material. 

"Quicksilver  is  an  essential  metal,  however,  of  vital  necessity  in  the  conduct  of 
war  and  widely  used  in  the  industries.  It  is  stated  that  American  resources,  although 
low  grade,  can  furnish  an  adequate  supply  for  many  years  if  a  stable  and  suflicient 
price  be  guaranteed.  Without  tariff  protection  the  United  States  will  be  dependent 
in  large  part  on  outside  sources  for  a  vital  commodity,  and  a  grave  question  of 
national  expediency  is  involved." 

In  the  opinion  of  the  quicksilver  men,  and  the  writer,  the  last  sen- 
tence, above,  is  the  most  important  of  all. 

Uses. 

The  important  uses  of  quicksilver  are  the  recovery  of  gold  and 
silver  by  amalgamation,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  fulminate  for 
explosive  caps,  of  drugs,  of  electric  appliances,  and  of  scientific 
apparatus.  By  far  the  greatest  consumption  is  in  the  manufacture  of 
fulminate  and  drugs. 

The  newest  use  for  quicksilver  is  the  introduction  of  a  small  amount 
into  the  cylinders  of  steam  turbines  to  improve  the  vapor  pressure  and 
thus  increase  efficiency.  This  mercury  is  recoverable  and  can  be 
re-used,  so  that  there  is  only  a  small  proportional  loss. 

Quicksilver  is  an  absolutely  essential  element  from  a  military  stand- 
point, as  there  has  not  yet  been  produced  an  entirely  satisfactory  com- 
mercial substitute  for  it  in  the  manufacture  of  fulminating  caps  for 
explosives.  However,  in  order  to  reduce  consumption  of  the  fulminate, 
some  potassium  chlorate,  picric  acid,  trinitro-tuluol,  or  tetranitro-methal- 
mine  is  sometimes  mixed  with  it.  The  Ordnance  Department  of  the 
U.  S.  Army,  however,  will  accept  no  substitutes,  as  they  have  thus  far 
proven  unreliable. 

Concentration  of  Quicksilver  Ores. 

For  the  above  reason,  and  the  fact  that  California  has  been,  and  still 
is,  producing  from  70%  to  80%  of  the  quicksilver  yield  of  the  United 
States,  an  investigation  of  the  possibilities  of  concentration  for  quick- 
silver ores,  was  undertaken  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  In  the 
Bureau's  investigation  a  wide  variety  of  ores  was  tested  by  water  con- 
centration, flotation  with  oils,  and  a  w^et  method  by  solution  with  an 
alkaline  sulphide.  Full  details  of  this  work,  as  well  as  furnace  prac- 
tices and  descriptions  of  the  California  mines  are  given  in  Bulletin  78, 
issued  during  1918. 

New  Equipment. 

The  most  notable  of  recent  developments  in  the  metallurgy  of  quick- 
silver is  the  adaptation  of  the  rotary  cement-kiln  to  the  reduction  of 
quicksilver  ore  at  the  New  Idria  mine,  San  Benito  County.     They  have 


«Op.  cit.,  p.  78. 


68 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


there  installed  five  sucli  furnaces,  with  a  combined  daily  capacity  of  500 
tons.  They  have  also  added  aerial  tramways,  an  electrical  power  line 
from  Soledad,  and  mechanical  conveyors,  thus  reducing  the  hand  labor 
about  the  plant.  The  electric  power  line  will  eliminate  the  hauling  of 
fuel-oil  heretofore  required  for  power,  though  some  will  still  be  used  for 
firing  the  furnaces.  The  mine  and  plant  were  closed  down  in  April 
and  May,  1919,  after  having  been  steadily  in  operation  since  1853. 


Multiple  flue  line  in  condensing;  system  of  new  plant  at  Oat  Hill 
quicksilver    mine,    Napa    County. 

The  lead  of  the  New  Idria  Company  in  the  matter  of  rotary  furnaces 
has  been  followed  at  the  Sulphur  Bank  mine.  Lake  County;  Bella 
Union  or  Rutherford  mine,  Napa  County;  Cloverdale  mine,  Sonoma 
County,  and  at  the  January  mine,  Yolo  County.  The  first  two  men- 
tioned are  also  under  the  management  of  Mr.  H.  AV.  Gould,  general 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


69 


superintendent  of  the  New  Idria  Company,  though  not  as  New  Idria 
enterprises. 

The  Oat  Hill  mine,  Napa  County,  has  been  reopened  by  Mr.  Murray 
Tnnes,  of  the  Oceanic  mine,  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County.  A  new  40-ton 
Scott  furnace  has  been  built,  and  began  producing  quicksilver  in 
Januar}^,  1919.  New  features  of  this  installation  are:  an  ore-drier  on 
top  of  the  furnace,  heated  by  waste  gases;  and  the  division  of  the 
flues  into  four  lines  of  12-inch  tile-pipe  instead  of  a  single  line  of 
larger  size.  This  gives  a  greater  area  of  cooling  surface,  and  is  stated 
to  be  showing  very  satisfactory  results.  The  ore-drier  also  serves  as  a 
continuous,  automatic  feeder  to  the  furnace. 

Production. 

Though  some  domestic  yield  of  this  metal  is  now  obtained  from  Texas, 
Nevada,  Arizona,  and  Oregon^  the  bulk  of  the  output  still  comes  from 
California. 

The  distribution  of  the  1918  product,  by  counties,  was: 


County 

Amount, 
flasks 

Value 

Fresno 

35 
1,540 
1,297 
10,715 
3,977 
593 
2,417 

2,047 

$3,652 

Lake 

172  173 

Napa 

143  850 

San  Benito  _-      _    __ 

1,234  027 

Santa  Clara 

478  524 

Solano     _ 

59122 

Sonoma    _      _  _ 

280333 

Kern,   Kings,   Monterey, 
Trinity,  Yolo* 

San  Luis  Obispo, 

Santa  Barbara, 

207,791 

. 

Totals__ 

22,621 

$2,579,472 

'Combined  to  erne  al  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


Total   Quicksilver   Production   of   California. 

Total  amount  and  value  of  the  quicksilver  production  of  California, 
as  given  in  available  records,  is  shown  in  the  following  tabulation. 
Though  the  New  Almaden  mine  in  Santa  Clara  County  was  first 
worked  in  1824,  and  has  been  in  practically  continuous  operation  since 
1846  (though  the  yield  was  small  the  first  two  years),  there  are  no 
available  data  on  the  output  earlier  than  1850.  Previous  to  June,  1904, 
a  'flask'  of  quicksilver  contained  76 J  pounds,  but  nnce  that  date  75 
pounds.  In  compiling  this  table  the  following  sources  of  information 
were  used:  For  1850-1883,  table  by  J.  B.  Randol,  in  Report  of  State 
Mineralogist,  IV,  p.  336;  1883-1893,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  reports; 
1894  to  date,  statistical  bulletins  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau;  also 


70 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNU. 


State  Mining  Bureau,   Bulletin  27, 
fornia,"  1908,  p.  10: 


Quicksilver  Resources  of  Cali- 


Average  I 

price  per  ! 

flask      I 


Flasks 


Valu« 


Averagt 

price  per 

flask 


1850  .. 

1851  .. 

1852  .. 

1853  - 

1854  .. 

1855  .- 

1856  .. 

1857  - 

1858  _. 

1859  .. 

1860  -. 

1861  .. 

1862  .. 

1863  _. 

1864  .. 

1865  .. 

1866  .. 

1867  _. 

1868  _. 

1869  „ 

1870  .- 

1871  -. 

1872  .. 

1873  .. 

1874  .. 

1875  _. 

1876  .. 

1877  _. 

1878  _. 

1879  .. 

1880  - 

1881  _. 

1882  -. 

1883  .. 

1884  .. 

1885  .. 


7,723 
27,779 
20,000 
22,284 
30.004 
33,000 
30,000 
28,204 
31,000 
13,000 
10,000 
35,000 
42,000 
40,531 
47.489 
53,000 
46.550 
47,000 
47,728 
33.811 
30.077 
31.686 
31.621 
27.642 
27,756 
50,250 
75.074 
79.396 
63.880 
73.684 
59.926 
60.851 
52.732 
46.725 
31,913 
32,073 


$768,052 

$99  45 

1,859.248 

66  93 

1,166.600 

58  33 

1,235.648 

55  45 

1.663.722 

55  45 

1,767.150 

53  55 

1,549.500 

51  65 

1.374.381 

48  73 

1.482.730 

47  83 

820.690 

63  13 

535.500 

53  55 

1,471,750 

42  05 

1.526.700 

36  35 

1,705.544 

42  08 

2,179.745 

45  90 

2.432.700 

45  90 

2.473.202 

53  13 

2.157.300 

45  90 

2,190.715 

45  90 

1.551.925 

45  90 

1,725,818 

57  38 

1.999.387 

63  10 

2.084.773 

65  93 

2.220.482 

80  33 

2.919.376 

105  18 

4.228.538 

84  15 

3.303.256 

44  00 

2.961.471 

37  30 

2,101,652 

32  90 

2,194.674 

29  85 

1.857.706 

31  00 

1.815,185 

29  83 

1.488.624 

28  23 

1.343.344 

28  75 

973,347 

30  50 

986.245 

30  75 

1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 
1913 
1914 
1915 
1916 
1917 
1918 


29.981 
33.760 
33.250 
26.464 
22.926 
22,904 
27.993 
30.164 
30.416 
36.104 
30.765 
26.691 
31.092 
29.454 
26.317 
26.720 
29,552 
32,094 
♦28,876  , 
24,655  ; 
19.516  i 
17,379 
18,039  I 
16.217  i 
17,665 
19.109 
20.600 
15.661 
11,373 
14,199 
21.427 
24,382 
22,621 


2,160,349 


$1,064,326 

1,430,749 

1,413.125 

1.190.880 

1.203.615 

1.036.406 

1.139.595 

1,108.527 

934.000 

1,337,131 

1,075.449 

993,445 

1,188,626 

1,405,045 

1,182.786 

1.285.014 

1,276,524 

1.335,954 

1.086.323 

886.081 

712.334 

663,178 

763,520 

773.788 

799.002 

879.205 

866,024 

630.042 

557.846 

1.157.449 

2.003.425 

2.396.466 

2,579,472 


$104,572,032 


$35  50 
42  38 

42  50 
45  00 
52  50 
45  25 
40  71 

36  75 
30  70 

37  04 

34  96 

37  28 

38  23 

47  70 

44  94 

48  46 

43  20 
42  25 

37  62 

35  94 

36  50 

38  Ifi 
42  33 
47  71 

45  23 

46  01 
42  04 
40  23 

49  05 
81  52 
93  50 
98  29 

114  03 


'Flasks  of  75  lbs.  since  June,  1904;  of  76i  lbs.  previously. 


SILVER. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  VIII,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  67.     Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  March  1,  1919. 

Silver  in  California  is  produced  largely  as  a  by-product  from,  its 
association  with  copper,  lead,  zinc,  and  gold  ores.  As  explained  under 
the  heading  of  Gold,  the  following  figures  are  those  of  the  U.  S.  Geolog- 
ical Survey.  The  average  price  of  silver  during  1918  was  $1.00  per 
ounce  at  New  York  as  compared  with  54.8^  in  1914;  50.7^  in  1915 ;  65.8^ 
in  1916,  and  82.4^  in  1917. 

Prices  for  1919  are  still  higher.  The  maximum  price  fixed  by  the 
Government  was  $1.01f  per  ounce  for  some  months;  and  exports  were 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


71 


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72  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

under  license  only.  Now,  all  restrictions  are  off.  There  is  a  heavy 
demand  for  silver  from  India  and  China,  the  former  of  which  has  long 
been  termed  the  ''sink  of  silver."  Present  quotations  (July  12,  1919) 
are  around  $1.06  per  ounce.  A  movement  is  on  foot  to  establish  a 
Silver  Exchange  in  New  York,  so  that  American  producers,  bankers, 
and  consumers  can  keep  in  closer  touch  with  the  market  fluctuations 
and  their  underlying  causes ;  and  also  to  obviate  dependence  upon  the 
London  market  as  an  intermediary,  as  in  the  past. 

The  following  extract  is  quoted  from  the  report  of  the  United  States 
Geological  Survey,  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Chas.  G.  Yale,  statis- 
tician in  charge  of  the  San  Francisco  office : 

"The  deep-mine  production  of  silver  in  California  in  1918  was  1,397,802  ounces, 
valued  at  $1,397,802,  a  decrease  in  quantity  of  847,720  ounces  and  in  value  of  $35,244. 
The  larger  portion  of  the  output,  982,619  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $982,619,  was  derived 
from  crude  smelting  ore.  Siliceous  ore,  milled  and  smelted,  yielded  $228,332,  The 
largest  output  of  silver  in  1918  came  from  Inyo  County  (not  from  Shasta  as  has 
been  usual  for  years),  which  produced  from  copper  ores  960  ounces,  valued  at  $960; 
from  siliceous  ore,  3,456  ounces,  valued  at  $3,456 ;  from  lead  ores,  433,242  ounces, 
valued  at  $433,242  ;  and  from  copper-lead  ores,  3,890  ounces,  valued  at  $3,890.  This 
makes  a  total  yield  of  silver  from  Inyo  County  of  441,548  ounces,  valued  at  $441,548. 
Shasta  County  followed  Inyo  in  yield  of  silver,  the  output  being  420,410  ounces,  valued 
at  $420,410,  as  compared  with  631,921  ounces  in  quantity  and  $520,703  in  value  in 
19l7.  The  total  silver  derived  from  deep  mines  of  all  classes  and  from  placer  mines 
in  California  in  1918  was  1,427,711  ounces,  valued  at  $1,437,711.  The  silver  obtained 
from  refining  placer  gold  mined  in  the  state  in  1918  was  29.909  ounces,  valued  at 
$29,909.  The  largest  producer  of  placer  silver  was  Yuba  County — 13,569  ounces, 
valued  at  $13,569. 

"From  1,538,960  tons  of  siliceous  ore  there  was  derived  228,332  fine  ounces  of 
silver,  valued  at  $228,332;  from  908,059  tons  of  copper  ore  was  obtained  669,711 
ounces  of  silver,  valued  at  $669,711  ;  from  lead  ores  came  448,547  ounces  of  silver, 
valued  at  $448,547  ;  from  copper-lead  ores  was  derived  12,820  ounces  of  silver,  valued 
at  $12,820;  and  from  zinc  ores,  38,392  ounces  of  silver,  with  a  value  of  $38,392." 
****«*♦ 

"From  the  siliceous  ore  and  old  tailings  treated  in  California  in  1918,  the  recovery 
of  silver  by  amalgamation  was  71,103  fine  ounces,  valued  at  $71,103  ;  by  cyanidation, 
60,870  ounces,  valued  at  $60,870;  by  chlorination,  3,631  ounces,  valued  at  $3,631;  and 
from  concentrates  sent  to  smelters  92,728  ounces,  valued  at  $92,728.  From  smelting 
ores,  silver  was  recovered  amounting  to  1,169,470  ounces,  valued  at  $1,169,470.  From 
the  placer  mines  29,909  ounces  of  silver  were  recovered,  valued  at  $29,909." 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


73 


The  distribution  of  the  1918  silver  yield,  by  counties,  was  as  follows : 


County 


Value 


Amador  _„ 

Butte 

Calaveras 
Del  Norte  . 
El  Dorado 

Fresno 

Humboldt 
Imperial  _- 

Inyo  

Kern  

Madera  ___ 
Mariposa  _ 
Merced 


Mono 


Nevada  

Placer  

Plumas  

Riverside 

Sacramento  

San  Bernardino 

Shasta  

Sierra  

Siskiyou 

Stanislaus 

Trinity  

Tuolumne  

Yuba 

Marin,  Modoc,  Napa,  San  Joaquin,  San  Luis  Obispo*. 


$29,590 

2,410 

84,150 

4 

722 

37 

72 

1,248 

441,548 

7,817 

4,206 

5,083 

254 

22,727 

72,557 

22,432 

156,750 

1,541 

4,637 

88,712 

420,410 

2,121 

14,501 

592 

6,912 

21.425 

13,796 

1,607 


Total. 


$1,427,861 


^Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


The  value  of  the  silver  produced  in  California  each  year  since  1880 
has  been  as  follows,  the  data  previous  to  1887  being  taken  from  the 
reports  of  the  Director  of  the  Mint: 


Year 


Value 


1880 :  $1,140,556 

1881  '  750,000 

1882 : !  845,000 

1883  i  1,460.000 

1884  I  ^,185.101 

1885 -  2,568,036 

1886 1,610,626 

1887 1,632,004 

1888  - 1,700.000' 

1889 1,065,281 

1890 !  1,060.613 

1891  J  953457 

1892 I  463,60? 

1893  537,158 

1894  — -  297,332 

1895 559,790 

1896 422,464 

1897 '  452,789 

1898 4H055 

1899 _  504,012 

1900 . =724500 


Year 


1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
^908 
1.909 
1910 
1,911 
1912 
1.913 
1914 
1915 
1916 
1917 
1918 


Value 


2$571,849 

616,412 

517,444 

873,525 

678,494 

817,830 

751,646 

873,057 

1,091,092 

993.646 

673,336 

799,584 

832.553 

813,938 

851.129 

1.687.345 

1.462,955 

1,427,861 


Total. 


$39,719,772 


iLawver,  A.  M.,  In  Production  of  Precious  Metals  In  United  States:  Report  of 
Mint,  1884.  p.  175;  1885.  w  i   /i 

^Recalculated  to  'commercial'  from  'coining  value,'  as  originally  publisUed. 


Director  of 


74 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 
TIN. 

Bulletin  67. 


Bibliography:  Report  XV. 

Tin  is  not  at  present  produced  in  California ;  but  during  1891-1892, 
there  was  some  output  from  a  small  deposit  near  Corona,  in  Riverside 
County,  as  tabulated  below.  Small  quantities  of  stream  tin  have  been 
found  in  some  of  the  placer  workings  in  northern  California,  but  never 
in  paying  amounts. 

Two  occurrences  have  also  been  noted,  in  northern  San  Diego  County. 
Crystals  of  cassiterite  were  found  there,  associated  with  blue  tourmaline 
crystals,  amblygonite  and  beryl.  No  commercial  quantity  has  been 
developed,  only  small  pockets  having  been  taken  out,  as  yet. 

The  principal  source  of  the  world's  supply  of  tin  is  the  Straits  Settle- 
ments on  the  Malay  Peninsula,  followed  in  second  rank  by  Bolivia. 
Siam,  Burma  and  Cornwall  are  also  important  sources.  A  measureable 
amount  of  the  metal  is  also  recovered  by  de-tinning  scrap  and  old  cans. 

Total  output  of  tin  in  California : 


Year 

Founds 

V*lue 

1891    _ 

125.289 
126.000 

$27  564 

1892  

32.400 

Totals   

251.289 

$59,964 

TUNGSTEN. 

Bibliography :  Report  on  San  Bernardino  County,  1917 ;  Report 
XV.  Bulletins  38,  67.  U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull.  652.  Proc.  Colo.  Sci. 
Soc,  Vol.  XI.     South  Dakota  School  of  Mines,  Bulletin  No.  12. 

The  metal,  tungsten,  is  used  mainly  in  the  steel  industry  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  electrical  appliances,  including  the  well-known  tung- 
sten filament  lamps.  Because  of  its  resistance  to  corrosion  by  acids,  it 
is  valuable  in  making  certain  forms  of  chemical  apparatus.  Its  employ- 
ment in  tool-steel  alloys,  permits  the  operation  of  cutting  tools,  such 
as  in  lathe  work,  at  a  speed  and  temperature  at  which  carbon  steel 
would  lose  its  temper-whence  the  name  'high-speed'  steels  for  these 
tungsten  alloys.  As  made  in  the  United  States,  tungsten  forms  13% 
to  20%  of  such  steels.  Some  chronium,  nickel,  cobalt,  or  vanadium,  are 
sometimes  also  included. 

Tungsten  is  introduced  into  the  molten  steel  charge,  either  as  the 
powdered  metal  or  as  ferro-tungsten  (containing  50%-85%  tungsten). 
The  specific  gravity  of  the  pure  metal,  19.3-21.4,  is  exceeded  only  by; 
platinum,  21.5;  iridium,  22.4;  and  osmium,  22.5.  Its  melting  point  is 
3,267°  C.  (5,913°  F.),  being  higher  than  any  other  known  metal. 
Though  millions  of  tungsten  filament  lamps  are  now  made,  the  wires 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


75 


are  so  fine  that  the  metal  they  contain  represents  but  a  few  tons  of 
tungsten  concentrates  annually. 

Tungsten  ore  is  produced  in  California  principally  in  the  Atolia- 
Randsburg  district  in  San  Bernardino  and  Kern  counties,  followed  by 
the  Bishop  district  in  Inyo  County,  with  small  amounts  coming  from 
Nevada  County  and  from  the  district  near  Goffs,  in  eastern  San  Bernar- 
dino. Most  of  the  California  tungsten  ore  is  scheelite  (calcium  tung- 
state),  though  wolframite  (iron-manganese  tungstate)  and  hiibnerite 
(manganese  tungstate)  also  occur.  The  deposits  at  Atolia  are  the 
largest  and  most  productive  scheelite  deposits  known,'  and  the  output 


Tungsten  Mines  Company's  300-ton  mill  at  Tungsten  City,  Inyo  Counts'. 
Photo  by  Emile  Huguenin. 

has  in  some  years  equalled  or  exceeded  that  of  ferberite  (iron  tungstate) 
from  Boulder  County,  Colorado.  It  is  interesting  in  this  connection  to 
note  that,  in  practically  all  other  tungsten  producing  districts  of  the 
world,  wolframite  is  the  important  constituent.  Burma,  the  largest 
producer,  reported  a  yield  of  approximately  3,300  tons^  of  w^olframite 
concentrates  for  1917,  most  of  which  was  obtained  from  placers,  in 
part  associated  with  cassiterite  (tin  oxide) . 

Imports  of  foreign  tungsten  ores  into  the  United  States  during  1918 
amounted  to  10,362  tons  valued  at  $11,409,237,  compared  with  4,357 
tons  valued  at  $4,467,608  in  1917.  Owing  to  lack  of  protection  against 
the  cheap  coolie  labor  of  Asiatic  tungsten  mines,  and  the  present  low 
market  prices,  practically  all  of  the  tungsten  mines  in  the  United 
States  are  now  closed  down. 


'U.  S.  G.  S.  Bull.  652,  p.  32. 

=U.  S.  Commerce  Reports,  No.  167,  July  18,  1918. 


76 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


The  value  of  the  ore  is  based  upon  the  content  of  tungstic  trioxide 
("WO3),  and  quotations  are  commonly  made  per  unit  (each  1%)  of 
WO3  present. 

In  California  in  1918,  there  were  marketed  1,982  tons  of  high-grade 
ore  and  concentrates,  valued  at  $2,832,222,  which  is  a  decrease  both  in 
quantity  and  in  value,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output.  This  slightly 
exceeds  Colorado 's  estimated  output  of  1910  tons^  for  1918.  The  market 
prices  prevailing  during  1918  ranged  between  $20  and  $26,  with  the 


A  dry  concentrator  working  on  scheelite  ground  at  Atolia,   San  Bernardino   County. 

average  about  $23.75,  as  indicated  by  the  reports  of  sales.  The  tonnages 
here  shown  are  re-calculated  to  a  basis  of  60%  WO3,  the  materials 
reported  varying  from  ore  assaying  2%  to  concentrates  running  as  high 
as  75%.  Most  of  the  concentrates  ranged  about  63%.  Previous  to 
1915,  a  single  company  produced  almost  all  of  California's  tungsten. 
During  the  latter  part  of  1915,  and  the  early  months  of  1916,  because  of 
the  high  prices  prevailing,  prospecting  was  much  stimulated,  and  the 
known  tungsten-bearing  areas  have  been  considerably  extended  both  in 
San  Bernardino  and  Kern  counties.  Some  shipments  have  been  made 
from  mines  opened  up  in  the  Clark  Mountain  and  New  York  Mountains 
districts  in  eastern  San  Bernardino  County.     In  these  latter  areas, 


»U.  S.  Geol.  Sui-v.,  Press  Bull.  No.  394,  January  1919. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


77 


wolframite  and  hiibnerite  are  the  principal  ores,  with  some  scheelite, 
while  at  Atolia  it  is  scheelite  only.     Scheelite  ore  is  also  extracted  in 
Inyo  County  near  Bishop,  and  three  concentrating  mills  have  been  in 
operation  there.     The  Nevada  County  ore  is  also  scheelite. 
Distribution  of  the  1918  output  was  as  follows: 


County 

Tons    j     Value 

Inyo                        - - 

589  '     $854,025 

San  Bernardino           _  - - 

1,347      1,911,966 

Kern  and  Nevada*  _  _  _ 

46          66,231 

Totals    -    

1,982  1  $2,832,222 

•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  mine  in  Nevada  County. 


The  annual  value  of  tungsten  produced  in  California  since  the  incep- 
tion of  the  industry  is  given  herewith : 


Tear 


Tons  at 
60%WO3 


1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 


Value 


$18,800 
189,100 
120,587 
37,750 
190,500 
208,245 
127,706 
206,000 


Tear 


1    Tons  at 
I  60%WOs 


Value 


1913    -      - 

$234,673 

1914 

180,575 

1915 

_ 

962 

2,270 
2,466 
1,982 

1,005,467 

1916       _  _    

4,571,521 

1917    -  -    

3,079,013 

1918       - 

2,832,222 

Total 

$13,002,159 

VANADIUM. 
Bibliography:  Report  XV.     Bulletin  67.     Proc.   Colo.   Sci.   Soc, 
Vol.  XI.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  Mines,  Bulletin  104. 

No  commercial  production  of  vanadium  has  as  yet  been  made  in  Cali- 
fornia. Occurrences  of  this  metal  have  been  found  at  Camp  Signal,  near 
Goffs,  in  San  Bernardino  County,  and  two  companies  have  done  consid- 
erable development  work  in  the  endeavor  to  open  up  paying  quantities. 
Each  had  a  mill  under  construction  in  1916,  but  apparently  no  commer- 
cial output  was  made.  Ore  carrying  the  mineral  cuprodescloizite  and 
reported  as  assaying  4%  V2O5  was  opened  up.  Late  in  1917,  some  ore- 
carrying  lead  vanadate  was  discovered  in  the  29  Palms,  or  Washington 
district,  on  the  line  between  Riverside  and  San  Bernardino  counties. 
Vanadium  has  also  been  reported  near  Lotus  in  El  Dorado  County. 
There  is  a  growing  demand  for  vanadium,  for  use  in  the  steel  industry. 

Quotations  on  the  basis  of  vanadic  acid  are  misleading.  During  1918 
prices  ranged  around  $4-$5  per  pound  of  vanadium  contained  in  ferro- 
vanadium.  The  cost  of  recovery  is  high.  The  association  of  copper  is 
verv  detrimental. 


n 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


ZINC. 

Bibliography:  Report  XIV,  XV.     Bulletins  38,  67. 

During  1918,  zinc  was  produced  in  Shasta,  Inyo  and  San  Bernar- 
dino counties  to  the  amount  of  5,565,561  pounds,  valued  at  $506,466. 
Thisi  is  a  decrease  of  over  half  that  of  1917  both  in  tonnage  and  value, 
due  to  the  lower  prices  prevailing.  The  average  price  for  the  year 
was  9.1^  per  pound  as  compared  to  5.1^  during  1914;  14.2^  in  1915 
13.4^  in  1916,  and  10.2^  in  1917,  showing  a  steady  decline  from  the  high- 
level  prices  of  1915. 

The  zinc  ores  of  Shasta  County  are  associated  with  copper,  while  those 
of  Inyo  and  San  Bernardino  are  associated  principally  with  lead-silver 
ores.  The  ores  were  mainly  shipped  to  eastern  smelters  for  treatment. 
The  electrolytic  zinc  plant  of  the  Mammoth  Copper  Company  at  Kennett 
with  a  capacity  of  100  tons  of  spelter  per  month  was  in  operation  during 
1918,  but  has  since  closed  down.  It  treated  bag-house  fume.  The  Mam- 
moth did  not  ship  nor  treat  any  raw  zinc  ores  during  1918.  The  elec- 
trolytic plant  at  the  Bully  Hill  copper  mine,  Shasta  County,  is  stated 
to  be  in  operation;  also  one  at  the  Afterthought  mine.  Both  of  these 
treat  raw  ores  direct. 

The  production,  by  counties,  was  as  follows : 


County- 


Pounds 


Value 


Inyo    

San  Bernardino 
Shasta  


2,517,045 

2,824 

3,045,692 


$229,051 

257 

277,158 


Totals. 


5,565,561 


$506,466- 


Total  figures  for  zinc  output  of  the  state  are  as  follows,  commercial 
production  dating  back  only  to  1906: 


Tear 

Pounds 

Value 

Tear 

Pounds 

Value 

1906   ,„. 

206,000 

177,759 

54,000 

$12,566 

10,598 

3.544 

1914   

1915   

1916 

399,641 

13,043.411 

15,950,565 

11,854,804 

5,565,561 

$20,381 

1907 

1,617,383 
2,137,375 

1908 

1909  

1917 

1,209,190 

1910  1 

1918 

506,466 

1911 

2,679,842 
4.331,391 
1.157.947 

152,751 

298,866 

64.845 

Totals 

1912   

55.420,921 

$r,,033.965 

1913  

STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  79 

CHAPTER  FOUR. 

STRUCTURAL  MATERIALS. 

As  indicated  by  this  chapter  heading,  the  mineral  substances  herein 
considered  are  those  more  or  less  directly  used  in  building  and  struc- 
tural work.  California  is  independent,  so  far  as  these  are  concerned, 
and  almost  any  reasonable  construction  can  be  made  with  materials 
produced  in  the  state.  This  branch  of  the  mineral  industry  for  1918 
was  valued  at  $18,848,677,  as  compared  with  a  total  value  of  $17,440,276 
for  the  year  1917.  Deposits  of  granite,  marble  and  other  building  stones 
are  distributed  widely  throughout  this  area,  and  slowly  but  surely  trans- 
portation and  other  facilities  are  being  extended  so  that  the  growing 
demand  may  be  met.  The  largest  single  item,  cement,  has  had  an 
interesting  record  of  growth  since  the  inception  of  the  industry  in 
California  about  1891.  Not  until  1904  did  the  annual  value  of  cement 
produced  reach  the  million-dollar  mark,  following  which  it  increased 
500%  in  nine  years;  though  since  1913  it  has  fallen  slightly  below  its 
high-level  mark. 

Crushed  rock  production  is  yearly  becoming  more  worthy  of  consid- 
eration, due  to  the  strides  recently  taken  in  the  use  of  concrete,  as  well 
as  to  activity  in  the  building  of  good  roads.  Brick,  with  an  annual 
output  worth  approximately  $2,000,000,  has  slowly  decreased,  due  to 
the  popularity  of  cement  and  concrete;  nevertheless,  this  item  will  be 
an  important  one  for  many  years  to  come,  and  of  course,  a  market  for 
fire  and  fancy  brick  of  all  kinds  will  never  be  lacking. 

Fifty-three  counties  contributed  to  this  structural  total  for  1918,  and 
there  is  not  a  county  in  the  state  which  is  not  capable  of  some  output  of 
at  least  one  of  the  materials  under  this  classification. 

Except  for  construction  work  directly  connected  with  war  activities, 
much  of  which  was  of  only  a  temporary  nature,  the  general  building 
situation  showed  a  decline  in  1917  and  1918  from  previous  years.  This 
was  due  to  the  war's  demands,  priority  of  freight  schedules,  and  the 
request  of  the  Government  to  defer  all  but  urgent  construction  for  the 
period  of  the  war.  The  outlook  for  1919  is  very  promising  for  a  renewal 
of  activity  along  all  building  lines,  particularly  highway  construction. 


80 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


The  following  table  gives  the  comparative  figures  for  the  amounts 
and  value  of  structural  materials  produced  in  California  during  the 
yeara  1917  and  1918: 


1917 

1918 

Increase+ 
Decrease — 

Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Amount 

Value 

Value 

Bituminous  rock 

Brick  and  tile 

Cement  

5,590  tons 

5,793,734  bbls. 
52,379  tons 

500,730  bbls. 
209,648  tons 

24,755  cu.  ft. 

31,090  cu.  ft. 

$18,580 

2,532,721 

7,544,282 

1,130,298 

221,997 

311,380 

1,976,227 

62,950 

7,074 

3,634,767 

2,561  tons 

4,772,921  bbls. 
73,955  tons 

436,843  bbls. 
83,974  tons 
17,428  cu.  ft. 
900  cu.  ft. 

$9,067 

2,363,481 

7,969,909 

3,649,497 

139,861 

461,315 

803,492 

49.898 

400 

3,404,157 

$9,513— 
169,240— 
425,627+ 

Chromite 

Granite 

Lime    

Magnesite      — 

2,519,199+ 

82,136- 

149,935+ 

1,172,735— 

Marble    

13,052— 

Sandstone    _  - 

6,674 — 

Miscellaneous  stone 

230,610- 

Totals 

$17,440,276 

$18,851,077 

Net  increase 

$1,410,801  + 

ASPHALT. 
Bihliagraphy :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VII,  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV. 
Bulletins  16,  32. 

Asphalt  was  for  a  number  of  years  accounted  for  in  reports  by  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  because  in  the  early  days  of  the  oil  industry, 
considerable  asphalt  w^as  produced  from  outcroppings  of  oil  sand,  and 
was  a  separate  industry  from  the  production  of  oil  itself.  However, 
at  the  present  time  most  of  the  asphalt  comes  from  the  oil  refineries, 
which  produce  a  better  and  more  uniform  grade ;  hence,  its  value  is  not 
now  included  in  the  mineral  total,  as  to  do  so  would  be  a  partial  dupli- 
cation of  the  crude  petroleum  figures.  Such  natural  asphalt  as  is 
at  present  mined  is  in  the  form  of  bituminous  sandstones,  and  is  recorded 
under  that  designation. 

According  to  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  the  war  stimulated  activity 
in  the  domestic  markets  for  asphaltic  materials  derived  from  crude 
petroleum  and  for  imported  asphalt,  but  relative  abundance  and  adapt- 
ability of  those  materials  has  lessened  the  demand  for  the  native  bitu- 
mens and  for  the  various  types  of  bituminous  rock  produced  in  this 
country. 

The  production  of  refinery  asphalt  from  14  refineries  in  California 
has  averaged  between  200,000  tons  and  250,000  tons,  worth  approxi- 
mately $2,000,000,  per  year,  for  several  years  past.  California  leads 
all  other  states  of  the  union  in  such  production,  as  her  crude  oils  are 
almost  entirely  of  asphaltic  base. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


81 


BITUMINOUS  ROCK. 
Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XV. 

The  manufacture  of  asphalt  at  the  oil  refineries  has  almost  eliminated 
the  industry  of  mining  bituminous  rock,  but  small  amounts  of  the  latter 
are  still  used  occasionally  for  road  dressing.  The  production  during 
1918  from  one  quarry  each  in  Santa  Cruz,  Santa  Barbara  and  San  Luis 
Obispo  counties  was  2,561  tons,  valued  at  $9,067,  compared  with  5,590 
tons  and  $18,580  in  1917. 

The  following  tabulation  shows  the  total  amount  and  value  of  bitu- 
minous rock  quarried  and  sold  in  California,  from  the  records  com- 
piled by  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  annually  since  1887 : 


Tear 

Torn 

Value 

Tear 

Torn 

ValM 

1887 

36.000 
50.000 
40,000 
40.000 
39.962 
24,000 
32.000 
31,214 
38,921 
49,456 
45,470 
46,836 
40,321 
25,306 
24,052 
33,490 
21,944 

$160,000 

257,000 

170,000 

170,000 

154,164 

72,000 

192,036 

115,193 

121.586 

122,500 

128,173 

137,575 

116.097 

71,495 

66.354 

43,411 

63,106 

1904  __  __ _ 

45,280 
24.753 
16,077 
24.122 
30.718 
34.123 
87.547 
75,125 
44.073 
37.541 
66.119 
17.789 
19,449 
5,590 
2,561 

$175,680 

1888 

1905 

60.436 

1889   

1906  

45,204 

1890 

1907 

72,835 

1891 

1908   

109.818 

1892 

1909 

116.436 

1893  

1910 

165,711 

1894 

1911   

117.279 

1895  .__ 

1912 

87.467 

1896 

1913 

78.479 

1897 

1914 

166,618 

1898  

1915 _ 

61,468 

1899     „   -   - 

1916 - - 

66,561 

1900 

1917 

18,580 

1901 

1918   _   __  

9,067 

1009 

Totals 

1903  

1,149,839 

$3,502,329 

BRICK  and  TILE. 

Bibliography :  Keports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

As  would  be  expected  in  a  state  with  diversified  and  widespread 
mineral  resources,  a  great  variety  of  brick  is  annually  produced  in 
California,  including  common,  fire,  pressed,  glazed,  sand-lime,  and 
others.  As  far  as  possible  the  different  kinds  have  been  segregated  in 
the  following  tabulation.  We  also  include  under  this  heading  the 
various  forms  of  hollow  building  'tile'  or  blocks,  instead  of  under 
industrial  pottery  clays  as  in  the  reports  previous  to  1915. 

The  clay  industries  throughput  the  country  were  adversely  affected 
by  the  war-time  restrictions  on  building  operations,  and  particularly 
during  1918  by  a  50%  cut  in  their  fuel  and  power  allowances  by  the 
Federal  Fuel  Administrator.  This  condition  is  reflected  in  the  lower 
output  figures  of  nearly  all  elates  of  clay  products  for  1918,  as  com- 
pared to  1917. 

6-47382 


82 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNU. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


83 


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84 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Kecord  of  brick  production  in  the  state  has  been  kept  since  1893  by 
this  Bureau,  the  figures  for  building  tile  being  also  included  since  1914. 
The  annual  and  total  figures,  for  amount  and  value,  are  given  in  the 
following  table : 


Tear 

Thousands 

Value 

Year 

Thousands 

Value 

1893 

103,900 

81.675 

131.772 

24,000 

97.468 

100,102 

125,950 

137,191 

130,766 

169.851 

214.403 

281,750 

286,618 

277,762 

$801,760 

457,125 

672.360 

524.740 

563,240 

571,362 

754,730 

905,210 

860,488 

1,306,215 

1,999,546 

1,994.740 

2,273.786 

2.538,848 

1907 

362,167 
332,872 
333.846 
340,883 
327,474 
337.233 
358.754 
270,791 
180,538 
206,960 

$3,438,951 
2,506,495 
3,059,929 
2,934,731 
2,638,121 

1894 

1908 

1895 

1909 

1896 

1910 

1897 _„ 

1911  

1898 _- 

1912 

2,940,290 
2  915  350 

1899 

1913 

1900 

1914 

2.288,227 
1.678.756 
2,096,570 
2  532  721 

1901  _ 

1915 

1902 

1916 

1903  _>. 

1917 

1904 

1918 

2,363,481 

1905 

Total  value 

1906 __-. 

$47,617,762 

CEMENT. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VIII,  IX, 
XV.     Bulletin  38. 


XII,  XIV, 


Cement  is  one  of  the  most  important  structural  materials  in  the  output 
of  the  state.  During  1918  there  was  produced  a  total  of  4,772,921  bar- 
rels, valued  at  $7,969,909,  being  a  decrease  in  quantity  but  an  increase  in 
value  over  the  1917  figures.  This  output  comes  from  nine  operating 
plants  in  seven  counties,  employing  approximately  1,800  men. 

The  outstanding  features  of  the  1918  production  are:  the  greatly 
increased  average  price  per  barrel,  and  the  entry  of  one  new  plant 
in  California,  that  of  the  Old  Mission  Portland  Cement  Company  at 
San  Juan,  San  Benito  County. 

Several  of  the  cement  plants  recovered  potash-bearing  materials  as 
by-products,  notably:  the  Riverside  Portland  Cement  Company,  River- 
side County;  California  Portland  Cement  Company  and  Southwestern 
Portland  Cement  Company,  San  Bernardino  County;  Santa  Cruz 
Portland  Cement  Company,  Santa  Cruz  County.  The  first-named  was 
the  pioneer  in  this  work.  The  Golden  State  Portland  Cement  Company, 
San  Bernardino  County,  also  added  such  equipment  to  its  plant,  but 
did  not  produce  potash  on  a  commercial  scale  until  the  close  of  the  year. 

The  cement  industry  is  so  centralized  that  it  is  not  possible  to  appor- 
tion the  production  to  the  counties  in  which  plants  are  located  without 
making  private  business  public.  With  the  exception  of  San  Bernardino, 
no  county  has  more  than  one  cement  plant.  The  three  operating  plants 
in  San  Bernardino  County,  in  1918,  made  a  total  of  1,027,635  barrels, 
valued  at  $1,453,962 ;  the  balance  coming  from  a  single  plant  in  each  of 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


85 


Concrete  State   Highway  Bridge  over  the  American   River  on  North  Twelfth   Street, 

Sacramento. 

the  following  counties :  Contra  Costa,  Kern,  Napa,  Riverside,  San  Benito, 
Santa  Cruz  and  Solano. 

*  Portland'  cement  was  first  commercially  produced  in  the  state 
in  1891;  though  in  1860  and  for  several  years  following,  a  natural 
hydraulic  cement  from  Benicia  was  utilized  in  building  operations  in 
San  Francisco.  While  the  total  figures  are  not  of  the  same  magnitude 
as  those  for  gold  and  petroleum,  the  growth  of  the  industry  has  been 
more  than  rapid,  and  a  comparison  of  the  annual  figures  representing 
the  output  since  the  inception  of  the  industry  is  of  interest. 

Annual  production  of  cement  in  California  has  been  a^  follows : 


Tear 

Barrels 

Value 

Tear 

Barrels 

Value 

1891    

5,000 
5.000 

$15,000 
15.000 

1906  - 

1,286,000 
1,613,563 
1,629,615 
3,779,205 
5,453,193 
6,371,369 
6.198.634 
6.167.806 
5,109,218 
4,918,275 
5,299,507 
5.790,734 
4,772.921 

$1,941,250 

1892 

1907   

2.585.577 

1893 

1908 

2,359.692 

1894 

8,000 

16,383 

9,500 

18.000 

50.000 

60.000 

52.000 

71.800 

171,000 

640,868 

969,538 

1,265,553 

21.600 

32,556 

28,250 

66,000 

150,000 

180,000 

121,000 

159,842 

423.600 

968,727 

1.539.807 

1.791,916 

1909 

4,969,437 

1895 

1910 

7,485.715 

1896 

1911 

9.085.625 

1897  _ 

1912 

6.074.661 

1898  — 

1913 

7.743.024 

1899 

1914 

6,558.148 

1900  

1915 

6,044.950 

1901   

1916 

6,210,293 

1902 

1917 — 

7.544.282 

1903 

1918   ___ 

7,969,909 

IQfU 

Totals 

1905 

61,732,682 

$82,085,861 

86  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

CHROMITE. 
Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  XIT,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletins  38,  76.     Preliminary  Report  3.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull  430. 
Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  114,  p.  552. 

Chromic  iron  ore,  or  chromite,  to  the  amount  of  73,955  short  tons  of 
all  grades  valued  at  $3,649,497  f.o.b.  shipping  point  was  mined  and 
shipped  in  California  during  the  year  1918.  This  is  an  increase  both  in 
quantity  and  total  value  over  1917,  which  showed  52,379  tons  worth 
$1,130,298.  Chromite  is  widely  -distributed  in  this  state,  the  1918 
output  coming  from  29  counties,  the  larger  amounts  being  credited  to 
El  Dorado,  San  Luis  Obispo,  Del  Norte,  Siskiyou,  and  Placer  in  the 
order  named. 

The  above  total  of  73,955  short  tons  of  all  grades  as  marketed  is 
equivalent  to  approximately  59,000  tons  of  50%  Cr203  ore.  This  is 
in  fair  agreement  with  the  56,200  long  tons  of  50%  ore  credited  to 
California  for  1918  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey.^  The  ores  as 
marketed  assayed  from  33%  to  at  least  as  high  as  55%  Cr203,  with  the 
average  running  close  to  40%.  In  some  concentrating  mills  ores  as 
low  as  10%  Cr203  were  handled,  and  the  concentrates  usually  assayed 
from  40%  to  50%. 

Economic  Conditions. 

Chromite  is  one  of  several  of  California's  minerals  most  affected  by 
the  economic  conditions  brought  about  by  the  European  war.  The 
major  portion  of  our  domestic  requirements  for  chrome  is  for  consump- 
tion in  the  steel  mills  of  the  East.  Formerly,  most  of  that  used  was 
imported  from  Rhodesia  and  New  Caledonia,  and  they  are  still  the  more 
important  sources.  The  reports  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Commerce 
show  the  foreign  imports  of  chromic  iron  for  the  five  years  1913-1918 
(inc.)  to  have  been  49,772;  74,455;  115,886;  72,063,  and  100,142  long 
tons,  respectively.  Similarly  to  conditions  discussed  herein  under  man- 
ganese (see  ante) ,  the  increased  demand  for  steel  products  also  increased 
the  necessity  for  chromite  as  a  refractory  and  for  the  preparation  of 
fferro-chrome.  Our  own  domestic  sources  supplied  a  part  of  the 
increased  demand,  and  some  tonnage  came  fom  Canada,  Cuba  and  Brazil. 

According  to  Dolbear,^ 

"to  be  readily  salable  chrome  ore  should  contain  at  least  40%  chromic  oxide  (Cr203) 
and  less  than  8%  silica  (Si02).  Some  ore  is  sold  which  carries  not  more  than  30% 
CraOs;  sometimes  SiOn  as  high  as  10%  to  15%  is  permitted.  Ore  containing  40% 
Cr203  is  more  satisfactory  in  fire  brick  manufacture  than  30%  or  50%  ore.  When 
other  grades  are  purchased  they  are  sometimes  crushed  and  mixed  with  higher  or 
lower  grades,  as  may  be  required,  to  secure  a  40%  product." 

The  major  consumption  of  chromic  iron  ore  is  for  its  use  as  a  refrac- 
tory lining  in  smelting  furnaces  for  steel  and  copper.     A  smaller  portion 


»Press  Bulletin  No.  403,  p.   2,  April,   1919. 

aDolbear,  S.  H.,  Min.  and  Sci.  Press,  April  21,  1917,  p.  554. 


STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  87 

is  used  in  the  preparation  of  ferro-chrome  for  chrome-steel  alloys.  Some 
of  the  California  product  in  1916-1918  was  converted  into  ferro-chrome 
in  the  electric  furnaces  of  the  Noble  Electric  Steel  Company  at  Heroult, 
Cal.,  and  some  of  it  was  similarly  reduced  in  electric  furnaces  at  Niagara 
Falls,  N.  Y.  A  small  amount  of  high-grade  ore  was  utilized  in  prepa- 
ration of  chromates  for  tanning. 

A  report,  designated  as  Bulletin  No.  76,  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau, 
was  issued  in  1918,  giving  a  detailed  account  of  California's  resources 
in  both  manganese  and  chromite. 

The  mining  of  chromite  in  1918  was  greatly  stimulated  by  the  urgings 
of  the  Government  and  other  agencies,  as  well  as  the  high  prices  offered. 
Actual  shipments,  though  gradually  increasing,  did  not  reach  their 
greatest  stride  until  late  summer.  This  was  due  to  the  fact  that  many 
deposits,  particularly  in  northwestern  California,  are  from  25  to  40 
miles  from  rail  or  water  transportation,  and  considerable  road  building 
had  to  be  done  before  ore  could  be  moved.  Just  at  this  juncture,  when 
many  properties  were  starting  or  about  to  start  shipments,  like  a 
thunderbolt  out  of  a  clear  sky  came  the  word  late  in  September  from 
eastern  buyers  that  they  were  overstocked  and  no  longer  in  the  market 
for  chromite.  Then  while  the  bewildered  producer  and  prospective 
producer  were  trying  to  find  out  what  it  all  meant,  the  armistice  was 
signed  in  France  on  November  11th,  thus  putting  a  stop  to  the  war 
demands  and  contracts. 

The  situation  is  well  described  in  the  following  article  :^ 

"THE    CHROMITE    SITUATION. 

"In    the    early   part   of   1918    the   shortage   of   ship   bottoms   for   c^rrymg   on   our 
suddenly  expanded  military  program  becanie  acute    an?  as  an  emergency  m^^^^ 
the  President  issued  a  proclamation  which  had  as  its  utimate  object  the  r^^^^^ 
of  imports  to  the  barely  necessary  amounts. and  diverUng  the  shipping  tnuss^^ 
to  urgent  war  purposes.     The  task  of  outlining  programs  for  restriction  ot  imporcs 
was  delegated  to  the  Shipping  Board  and  Mr.  Hurle>%  ^^^o  appointed  Dr.^^F    Gay 
to  formulate  these  programs,  and  Dr.  Gay  was  "}ade  a  member  ottne   war   x^^^ 
Board,  so  that  the  programs  would  be  carried  out  "^der  the  combined  autnor^ 
both   boards.     For   the    programs   of   restricted   mmeral   imports   Dn    Gay   appoint^^^^ 
r    TC    T.Pith   and    T    F.    Sourr  to  form  the  Committee  on  Mineral  imports,     xo   liuh 
^ommit'^ll'^lCe  Yeafman'' was  added,  representing  the  War  Industries^B^^^^^^      One 
of  the  problems  taken  up  was  that  of  restricting  the  iniportation  of  chrom^^^  m)m 

production  from  Cuba  or  Brazil.  rnmrnittPP   on  Mineral 

Xm;Xt?h^^?;;i  ?^-oTefa^ti?^  SrS.rilitS^o^r  Seta-llS^^^^^^^ 

dufers  that  with  the  proper  stimulation  the  domestic  supply  for  1918  m^^^  be  raised 
to  50,000  tons  (on  the  50  per  cent  CrO,  basis) ,  and  the  Canadi^  supply  w 
tons, 'while  investigation  of  the  possibilities  of  Cuba  and  frazU  led  to  the  beUef  that 
from  these  countries  might  be  obtained  approximately  f. 000  tons  f^id^^.!)""  tans 
resnectivelv  (on  50%  CrO  -basis).  The  consumers  finally  agreed  to  this  progr^ 
SSivIfy  aSd  the  steel-makers  agreed  to  PUt  into  operation  the  experi- 
ment   of    conservation.     The    principal    consumers    advised    that    they    would    taKe 

»The  Mining  Congress  Journal,  November,  1918,  pages  416-417. 


88  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

all  the  domestic  chromite  which  could  be  produced,  at  a  good  figure,  and  so  adver- 
tised publicly,  and  the  government  organizations  in  Washington  urged  an  increase 
of  chromite  production  in  the  United  States,  the  universal  agreement  being  that 
the  maximum  supply  could  not  exceed  the  demand.  Within  a  short  time,  under 
the  stimulus  and  encouragement  of  high  prices,  the  production  of  chromite  in 
California  and  Oregon  assumed  absolutely  unexpected  proportions,  new  deposits 
being  discovered,  especially  in  Siskiyou  County,  California.  The  conservation 
programs  also  resulted  in  enormous  savings,  the  use  of  chromite  as  a  refractory  in 
steel-making  being  practically  eliminated,  with  a  result  that  the  estimated  total 
consumption  for  1918  is  about  95,000  tons  of  50  per  cent  chromite,  as  compared  with 
127,000  tons  in  1917.  This  unexpected  great  increase  of  supply  and  shrinkage  of 
consumption  brought  about  a  condition  of  oversupply.  Somewhat  contributing  to 
this  was  a  technical  loop-hole  in  the  restriction  program.  As  originally  recommended 
by  the  Committee  on  Mineral  Imports  no  exception  was  to  be  made  to  the  program  on 
the  basis  of  ballast,  or  back-haul,  but  the  War  Trade  Board  ruled  that  these  excep- 
tions might  be  admitted  at  the  discretion  of  the  Ship  Control  Committee  in  New  York, 
without  referring  specific  cases  back  to  the  War  Boards.  That  is,  where  a  ship 
coming  from  New  Caledonia  needed  ballast  on  account  of  having  a  very  light  main 
cargo,  it  might  use  chromite  as  ballast  instead  of  taking  on  rock  ballast.  Through 
this  loop-hole  more  chromite  was  brought  in  from  New  Caledonia  than  was  expected. 
"It  results  that  the  present  situation  is,  that  we  have  no  further  shortage  of 
chromite  to  anticipate  if  things  are  handled  with  reasonable  judgment.  Chromite 
producers  were  notified  some  time  ago  by  the  government  that  it  was  not  encour- 
aging further  development,  which  is  indeed  the  case  with  manganese  and  pyrite, 
for  example.  Nevertheless,  certain  producers  had  gone  to  heavy  expense  in  the 
way  of  equipment  and  installation  and  were  dismayed  at  the  prospect  of  not  being 
able  to  get  back  their  investment.  The  Geological  Survey  and  the  Bureau  of  Mines 
have  strongly  recommended  to  the  War  Industries  Board  that  the  government  should 
protect  the  investment  of  these  people,  so  that  they  should  get  their  money  back, 
and  so  bring  about  the  transition  from  a  condition  of  scarcity  to  a  condition  of 
abundance,  and  from  a  period  of  high  prices  to  a  period  of  lower  prices,  without 
serious  financial  disaster  to  those  who  embarked  on  large  enterprises  upon  govern- 
ment representations.  The  chairman  of  the  War  Industries  Board  has  expressed 
himself  emphatically  as  strongly  in  favor  of  this  program,  and  the  question  is  only 
as  to  how  to  put  it  into  effect.  It  was  believed  that  this  could  be  done  through 
the  Mineral  Act,  but  the  legal  counsel  of  the  War  Industries  Board  was  of  the 
opinion  that  it  could  not  be  taken  up  under  this  act,  on  the  ground  that  there  exists 
at  present  no  shortage  in  chromite.  However,  the  Bureau  of  Mines  has  requested 
the  opinion  in  this  matter  of  Judge  Curtis  H.  Lindley,  of  San  Francisco,  and  he 
is  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  entirely  within  the  power  of  the  President  to  take  up 
the  chromite  question  under  this  Mineral  Act  if  he  so  decides." 

Following  representations  of  the  above-shown  conditions  to  Congress, 
an  amendment  to  the  'Dent  Bill'  (H.  R.  13274)  was  passed  which  pro- 
vides that  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  may  at  his  discretion  adjust 
claims  of  chromite,  tungsten,  manganese,  and  pyrite  producers.  Such 
claims  were  to  be  filed  with  the  War  Minerals  Relief  Commission,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  not  later  than  June  3,  1919.  A  total  of  $8,200,000  was 
made  available  for  such  relief  of  the  four  minerals  named.  At  present 
writing  (June,  1919),  these  claims  are  being  investigated  and  verified. 

Occurrence. 

Until  1916',  when  some  shipments  were  made  from  Oregon  and  smaller 
amounts  from  Maryland,  Wyoming  and  Washington,  practically  our 
only  domestic  production  of  chromite  for  many  years  came  from  Cali- 
fornia. From  1820  to  1860  the  deposits  in  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland 
supplied  the  world's  consumption.  There  are  two  main  belts  in  Cali- 
fornia yielding  this  mineral — one,  along  the  Coast  Ranges  from  San 
Luis  Obispo  County  to  the  Oregon  line,  including  Klamath  Mountains 
at  the  north  end,  and  the  other  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  from  Tulare  County 
to  Plumas  County.  Chromite  occurs  as  lenses  in  basic  igneous  rocks 
such  as  peridotite  and  pyroxenite,  and  in  serpentines  which  has  been 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  89 

derived  by  alteration  of  such  basic  rocks.  For  the  most  part,  so  far  as 
developments  have  yet  shown,  the  lenses  have  proven  to  be  s:nall,  rela- 
tively few  of  them  yielding  over  100  tons  apiece.  A  notable  exception 
to  this  was  the  deposit  on  Little  Castle  Creek  near  Dunsmuir,  from 
which  upwards  of  15,000  tons  were  shipped  before  it  was  exhausted. 
Deposits  being  worked  in  Del  Norte  County  during  1918  promised  well 
for  a  large  tonnage.  On  the  whole  the  orebodies  in  the  northwestern 
corner  cf  the  state  appear  to  average  larger  in  size  than  the  chromite 
lenses  in  other  parts  of  California. 

Concentration  became  an  accomplished  fact  in  several  localities,  thus 
utilizing  some  of  the  disseminated  and  lower-grade  orebodies  which 
have  been  found.  In  fact,  an  important  part  of  the  1918  production 
came  from  this  source. 

Prices  and  Production. 

During  1918  the  prices  in  California  on  the  basis  of  40%  chromic 
oxide  ranged  from  $40-$50  per  ton  f.o.b.,  with  a  premium  for  higher 
grades  and  deductions  for  lower.  The  producers'  reports  to  the  State 
Mining  Bureau  indicate  an  average  of  approximately  $49.35  per  ton 
received  for  all  grades  for  the  year  as  against  $21.60  in  1917,  and  $14.65 
in  1916.  From  May  to  September  quotations  ranged  from  $1.25  per 
unit  for  38%  ore,  to  $1.50  per  unit  for  48%  and  upwards,  f.o.b.  Cali- 
fornia points.  For  the  eastern  buyer,  to  these  prices  freight  charges  of 
$11-$16  per  ton,  had  to  be  added. 

Several  hundred  motor  trucks  were  employed  in  transporting 
chromite  to  the  railroad  and  steamer  points.  At  Hornbrook,  Siskiyou 
County,  there  were,  at  times,  up  to  40  trucks  hauling  in  chrome  ore. 
From  one  locality,  Cecilville,  also  in  Siskiyou  County,  high-grade 
chromite  was  shipped  by  parcels  post  on  pack  mules,  36  miles  to  Calla- 
han. The  mail  carrier  had  36  mules  in  service.  The  postage  was  $12 
per  ton  to  Callahan,  from  which  point  auto  trucks  hauled  the  ore  to  the 
railroad  at  Gazelle  at  a  cost  of  $5  per  ton. 


90  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

The  distribution  of  the  1918  product,  by  counties,  was  as  follows: 


County 


Tons 


Value 


Alameda  

Amador 

Butte  

Oalaveras  

Del  Norte 

El  Dorado 

Fresno _ 

Glenn 

Humboldt  

Lake 

Mendocino 

Napa  

Nevada   ______ 

Placer  

San  Benito  

San  Luis  Obispo 

Santa  Clara 

Shasta  

Sierra  _ ___ 

Siskiyou  ___ 

Sonoma 

Stanislaus 

Tehama 

Trinity  _. 

Tulare 

Tuolumne 

Colusa,  Mariposa,  Santa  Barbara* 

Totals 


220 

$14,600 

88 

4,400 

3.325 

134,535 

3,830 

159,453 

7,143 

360,485 

11.936 

674,856 

2,314 

86,181 

1,129 

57,263 

370 

21,744 

476 

24,790 

555 

44,200 

667 

38,432 

3,328 

116,933 

4,963 

276,765 

130 

7,000 

10,443 

539,423 

225 

8,968 

1,423 

70,214 

807 

40,012 

6,612 

336,588 

1,540 

73,906 

1,352 

56,505 

3,261 

152,291 

1,814 

75,660 

600 

24,000 

4,269 

168,693 

1,135 

81,600 

73,955 


$3,649,497 


♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  mine  in  each. 

Total  Chromite  Production  of  California. 

Production  of  chromite  in  California  began,  apparently,  about  1874, 
principally  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County.  There  was  considerable 
activity  from  1880  to  1883,  inclusive,  and  a  total  of  23,238  long  tons 
(or  26,028  short  tons),  valued  at  $329,924  was  shipped  from  that  county 
up  to  the  beginning  of  1887.  Some  ore  also  was  shipped  from  the  Tyson 
properties  in  Del  Norte  County.  The  tabulation  herewith  shows  the 
output  of  chromite  in  California,  annually,  including  the  earliest  figures 
so  far  as  they  are  available.  The  figures  from  1887  to  date  are  from 
the  records  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau : 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


91 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Valut 

1874-1886  (San  Luis 

26,028 
3,000 
1.50O 
2,000 
3,599 
1,372 
1,500 
3,319 
3,680 
1.740 
786 

$329,924 
40,000 
20,000 
30,000 
53,985 
20.580 
22,500 
49.785 
39.980 
16,795 
7.775 

1903 

150 

123 

40 

317 

302 

350 

436 

749 

935 

1,270 

1.180 

1,517 

3.725 

48,943 

52,379 

73,955 

$2,250 

1.845 

600 

2.859 

6.040 

6.195 

5.309 

9.707 

14.197 

11.260 

12.700 

9.434 

38.044 

717,244 

Obispo  Co.) 

1904 

1887  

1905 

1888 

1906 

1889 — 

1907 

1890 

1908 

1891 

1909 

1892 

1910 

1893 

1911   -  -   _ 

1894 ___ 

1912  ,   , 

1895 

1913 

1914 

1896 

1897   

1915 

1898 

1916  

1917 _ 

1899 _ 

1,130.298 

1900 

140 
130 
315 

1,400 
1,950 
4,725 

1918   

3.649,497 

1901 

Totals 

1902 _ 

235,480 

$6,257,428 

GRANITE. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 

Bulletin  38. 

In  the  reports  for  several  years  previous  to  1916  granite  was  treated  in 
a  subdivision  under  'Stone  Industry*  or  under  'Miscellaneous  Stone.* 
We  have  since  rearranged  the  subjects,  somewhat,  and  now  give  granite 
a  separate  heading,  as  had  previously  been  done  with  marble  and  sand- 
stone. Crushed  rock  and  paving  blocks  derived  from  granite  quarries 
are  continued  under  the  heading  of  'Miscellaneous  Stone.* 

The  output  of  granite,  particularly  for  building  and  ornamental 
purposes,  shows  a  falling  off  since  1914  from  earlier  annual  amounts. 
That  granite  is  not  used  more  is  probably  due  to  its  greater  cost  as 
compared  to  concrete  and  ornamental  brick  and  tile  for  building.  In 
1918  there  were  no  new  large  pieces  of  work  undertaken.  Building 
operations  of  all  kinds,  except  those  directly  connected  with  war  con- 
tracts, were  largely  suspended. 

California  building  granites,  particularly  the  varieties  from  Raymond, 
Madera  County,  and  Rocklin,  Placer  County,  are  unexcelled  by  any 
similar  stone  found  elsewhere. 

Granites  of  excellent  quality  for  building  and  monumental  purposes 
are  also  quarried  in  Riverside  and  San  Diego  counties.  The  Fresno 
County  stone  is  a  dark,  hornblende  diorite,  locally  called  'black  granite,* 
whose  color  permits  of  a  fine  contrast  of  polished  and  unpolished  sur- 
faces, making  it  particularly  suitable  for  monumental  and  decorative 
purposes. 


92 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


In  SO  far  as  it  has  been  possible  to  do  so,  granite  production  has  been 
segregated  in  the  following  table  into  the  various  uses  to  which  the 
product  was  put.  It  will  be  noted,  however,  that  a  portion  of  the 
output  has  been  entered  under  the  heading  'unclassified.'  This  is 
necessary  because  of  the  fact  that  some  of  the  producers  have  no  way 
of  telling  to  what  specific  use  their  stone  was  put  after  they  had  quarried 
and  sold  the  same. 


Gran 

Ite  Production,  by 

Counties,  for 

1918. 

' 

Building 
stone 

Monumental 

Curbing 

Unclassified 

Total 

County 

Cubic 
feet 

Value 

Cubic 
feet 

Value 

Linear 
feet 

Value 

Cubic 
feet 

Value 

value 

Fresno 

11,360 
60 

$26,800 
81 



$26,800 

TTnTTihinlrlt 

81 

TWfldpra 

68,551  1  $36,000 

1,856 
2,985 

$928 
1,880 

1,021 

"'$790" 

37,018 

11,568 
3,330 

28,212 
8,176 

30,882 

Riverside 

3,176 

220 

165 

Madera,  San  Diego,  Tulare*. 

34,039 

40,353 

Humboldt,  Madera,  San  Ber- 
nardino* -  - 

15,425 

1,386 

41,904 

Totals 

68,771 

$36,255 

00,357 

$98,622 

4,841 

$2,808 

6,446 

$2,176 

$139,861 

•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

^Includes  a  stone  from  San  Bernardino  County  used  for  a  cement-kiln  liner. 

The  value  of  granite  produced,  annually  since  1887,  has  been  as 
follows : 


Year 

Value 

Tear 

Value 

1887        - 

$150,000 

57,000 

1,329,018 

1,200,000 

1,300.000 

1,000,000 

531,322 

228.816 

224.32" 

201,004 

188,024 

147,732 

141.070 

295,772 

519,285 

255,239 

678,670 

1904 

$467,472 

1888                     -      - 

1905 

353,837 

1889 — 

1906  

344.083 

1890 

1907 

373.376 

1891  

1908  — - - 

512,923 

1892    

1909    

376,834 

1893      

1910 - 

417,898 

1894 

1911 __ 

355.742 

1895 — 

1912 

362.975 

1896 - 

1913 — 

981,277 

1897 

1914  _._ 

628,786 

1898 

1915 

227,928 

1899 _. 

1916 

535,339 

1900 

1917 - _ 

221.997 

1901 

1918 

139,861 

1902 

Total 

1903 _ 

$14,747,609 

LIME. 
Bibliography :  Reports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

Lime  to  the  amount  of  436,843  barrels,  valued  at  $461,315,  was  pro- 
duced from  five  counties  during  1918,  as  compared  with  500,730  barrels, 
valued  at  $311,380,  in  1917.     So  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  segregate 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


93 


the  data,  this  figure  includes  only  such  lime  as  is  used  in  building  oper- 
ations.    That  utilized  in  sugar  making,  for  smelter  flux,  and  as  a  fer- 
tilizer are  classified  under  'Industrial  Materials/     That  consumed  in 
cement  manufacture  is  included  in  the  value  of  cement. 
Distribution  by  counties  is  shown  in  the  following  table :. 


County 

Barrels 

Value 

Kern    

23,615 
182,083 
231.145 

$23,615 
285,316 

Santa  Cruz  

San  Bernardino,  Shasta,  Tuolumne* 

152,384 

Totals _ 

436,843 

$461,315 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 
For  table  of  production  by  years,  see  under  'Industrial'  limestone,  post. 


MAGNESITE. 
BiUiography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38.  U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bulletins  355,  540.  Min.  &  Sci.  Press, 
Vol.  114,  p.  237.  ''Magnesite" — Hearings  before  the  Comm.  on 
Ways  and  Means,  House  of  Repr.  on  H.  R.  5218,  June  16,  17 
and  July  17,  1919. 

Occurrence. 

Magnesite  is  a  natural  carbonate  of  magnesium,  and  when  pure  con- 
tains 52.4%  CO2  (carbon  dioxide)  and  47.6%  MgO  (magnesia).  It 
has  a  hardness  of  3.5  to  4.5,  and  specific  gravity  of  3  to  3.12.  It  is  both 
harder  and  heavier  than  calcite  (calcium  carbonate),  and  also  contains 
a  higher  percentage  of  CO2,  as  calcite  has  but  44%. 

Most  of  the  California  magnesite  is  comparatively  pure,  and  is  ordi- 
narily a  beautiful,  white,  fine-grained  rock  with  a  conchoidal  fracture 
resembling  a  break  in  porcelain.  The  Grecian  magnesite  is  largely  of 
this  character ;  while  the  Austrian  varieties  usually  contain  iron  so  that 
they  become  brown  after  calcining.  The  Washington  magnesite,  one 
of  the  most  recent  developments,  resembles  dolomite  and  some  crys- 
talline limestones  in  physical  appearance.  Its  color  varies  through 
light  to  dark  gray,  and  pink. 

In  California,  the  known  deposits  are  mostly  in  the  metamorphic 
rocks  of  the  Coast  Ranges  and  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  being  asso- 
ciated with  serpentine  areas.  The  notable  exceptions  are  two  sedi- 
mentary deposits,  one  at  Bissell  in  Kern  County,  and  one  at  Afton 
in  San  Bernardino  County.  Several  thousand  tons  have  been  shipped 
from  the  Bissell  deposit;  but,  thus  far,  only  one  small  shipment  for 
experimental  purposes  has  been  sent  out  from  the  Afton  property. 

The  Washington  deposits  are  stated  to  be  associated  with  extensive 
strata  of  dolomitic  limestones.     The  magnesite  there  appears  to  contain 


94 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


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MAGNESrrt  IN  CALIFORNIA 

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1918 

STATISTICS   OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  95 

more  iron  than  most  of  the  California  mineral,  which  makes  it  desirable 
for  the  steel  operators.  However,  the  experience  of  the  past  three 
years  has  proven  that  several  California  localities  have  sufficient  iron 
in  their  magnesite  to  be  serviceable  in  the  steel  furnaces.  This  is  par- 
ticularly true  of  the  Refractory  Magnesite  Company's  mine  near  Preston 
in  Sonoma  County,  and  the  White  Rock  Mine  at  Pope  Valley,  Napa 
County. 

Uses. 

The  principal  uses  at  the  present  time  include :  refractory  linings  for 
basic  open-hearth  steel  furnaces,  copper  reverberatories  and  converters, 
bullion  and  other  metallurgical  furnaces ;  in  the  manufacture  of  paper 
from  wood  pulp;  and  in  structural  work,  for  flooring,  wainscoting, 
tiling,  sanitary  kitchen  and  hospital  finishing,  etc.  In  connection  with 
building  work,  it  has  proven  particularly  efficient  as  a  flooring  for  steel 
railroad  coaches,  on  account  of  having  greater  elasticity  and  resilience 
than  'Portland'  cement.  For  refractory  purposes,  the  magnesite  is 
'dead  burned' — i.  e.,  all  or  practically  all  of  the  COo  is  expelled  from 
it.  For  cement  purposes,  it  is  left  'caustic' — i.  e.,  from  5%  to  10%  of 
CO2  is  retained.  When  dry  caustic  magnesite  is  mixed  with  a  solution 
of  magnesium  chloride  (MgCl2)  in  proper  proportions,  a  very  strong 
cement  is  produced,  known  as  oxychloride  or  Sorel  cement.  It  is  applied 
in  a  plastic  form,  which  sets  in  a  few  hours  as  a  tough,  seamless  surface. 

It  is  stated  that  some  metallic  magnesium  has  been  prepared  electro- 
lytically  at  Niagara  Falls,  from  magnesite  (see  also  Magnesium  Chloride, 
under  'Salines,'  post). 

For  refractory  purposes,  the  calcined  magnesite  is  largely  made  up 
into  bricks,  similar  to  fire-brick  for  furnace  linings.  It  is  also  used 
un-consolidated,  as  'grain'  magnesite.  For  such,  an  iron  content  is 
desirable,  as  it  allows  of  a  slight  sintering  in  forming  the  brick.  Dead- 
burned,  pure,  magnesia  cannot  be  sintered  except  at  very  high  tempera- 
tures ;  and  it  has  little  or  no  plasticity,  so  that  it  is  hard  to  handle.  Its 
plasticity  is  said  to  be  improved  by  using  with  it  some  partly  calcined 
or  caustic  magnesite.  Heavy  pressure  will  bind  the  material  sufficiently 
to  allow  it  to  be  sintered. 

A  coating  of  crushed  magnesite  is  laid  on  hearths  used  for  heating 
steel  stock  for  rolling,  to  prevent  the  scale  formed  from  attaching  the 
fire-brick  of  the  hearth. 

Imports,  and  Domestic  Production. 

Reports  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce 
show  imports  of  calcined  magnesite  to  have  been  172,591  tons  in  1913 ; 
144,747  tons  in  1914 ;  and  63,347  tons  in  1915 ;  most  of  it  coming  from 
Austria-Hungary.     For  the  same  years,  the  production  of  crude  (about 


96  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

two  tons  of  crude  ore  required  to  yield  one  ton  of  the  calcined)  magne- 
site  in  California  (the  sole  producer  for  those  years,  in  the  United 
States)  was:  9,632  tons,  1913;  11,438  tons,  1914;  30,721  tons,  1915. 
For  1916  the  California  output  leaped  to  154,052  tons  of  crude  and  to 
209,648  tons  in  1917.  Shipments  were  begun  from  Washington  late 
in  1916. 

A  bill  (H.  E.  5218)  has  been  introduced  in  Conj^ress  to  provide  for 
an  import  duty  of  2^  per  pound  on  crude  magnesite,  1-H  per  pound  on 
calcined,  and  25%  ad  valorem  on  magnesite  brick.  The  House  Com- 
mittee on  Ways  and  Means  held  a  series  of  hearings  on  this  bill, 
June  16,  17  and  July  17,  1919,  at  which  much  valuable  data  relative  to 
American  magnesite  was  presented.^ 

Previous  to  the  war,  Austrian  magnesite  was  sold  at  Chester,  Pa., 
and  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  $16.15  per  net  ton.  The  rail  rate  from  the 
mines  to  Triest  is  stated  to  have  been  $4.00  per  ton,  and  the  ocean  rate, 
at  times  as  low  as  $2,00  per  ton,  as  it  came  over  largely  in  ballast. 

Sworn  statements  of  costs  were  presented  by  various  American 
operators  at  the  above-mentioned  hearings.  Washington  costs  were 
shown  to  be  from  $21  to  $25  per  ton  of  calcined  ready  for  shipment 
The  following  California  costs  of  calcined  ore,  f.o.b.,  shipping  point, 
were  given:  Porterville  Magnesite  Co.,  $28.43  per  ton;  Tulare  Mining 
Co.,  $24.97;  Western  Magnesite  Development  Co.,  $24.16;  White  Rock 
Mine,  $28.22.  The  average  cost  per  ton  for  the  six  principal  pro- 
ducers in  Washington  and  California  w^as  $25.13  per  ton.  Add  to 
this  the  transcontinental  freight  rate  of  $16.07,  and  we  have  a  cost  of 
$41.20  for  American  magnesite  at  Atlantic  ports. 

"CALCINING  CAPACITY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES.^ 

"The  capacity  of  the  calcining  plants  of  California  is  estimated  at  350  to  400  tons 
daily  or  10,000  to  12,000  tons  monthly.  In  Washington  considering  one  plant  alone, 
the  Northwest  Magnesite  Co.,  there  is  a  calcining  capacity  of  10,000  tons  per  month, 
making  in  all  a  capacity  of  20,000  tons  per  month,  or  240,000  tons  per  year,  which  is 
far  more  than  ample  for  the  needs  of  the  United  States. 

"QUANTITY  OF  MAGNESITE  USED  PER  TON  OF  STEEL. 

"Prior  to  the  war  between  6  and  14  pounds  of  magnesite  was  used  per  ton  of  steel, 
according  to  estimates  of  several  prominent  eastern  steel  manufacturers.  The  quan- 
tity used  was  cut  irl  half  during  the  war  owing  to  a  greater  measure  of  economy  and 
the  substitution  for  magnesite  of  dead-burned  dolomite.  About  3  to  7  pounds,  or  an 
average  of  5  pounds  per  ton  of  steel,  was  used  during  1917,  which  quantity  may  be 
considered  approximately  that  now  used.  Thus,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  quantity  of 
magnesite  now  consumed  per  ton  of  steel  is  only  50  per  cent  of  what  it  was  prior  to 
the  war. 

"The  cost  of  magnesite  per  ton  of  steel  is  small  and  this  spring  with  the  price  of 
magnesite  brick  at  $450  per  thousand  and  with  grain  magnesite  at  Chester,  Pa.,  at 
$48.50  per  ton,  the  cost  of  magnesite  per  ton  of  steel  on  the  basis  of  all  brick  was 
about  22 J  cents,  and  on  the  basis  of  grain  magnesite,  12^  cents.  The  cost  of  mag- 
nesite per  ton  of  steel  must  lie  somewhere  between  these  limits  and,  assuming  the  use 
of  half  brick  and  half  grain,  would  not  be  far  from  17  to  18  cents,  under  the  prices 
which  prevailed  this  spring.  On  the  basis  of  two-thirds  brick  and  one-third  grain 
the  cost  would  be  about  19  cents.  These  prices  have  been  abnormally  high  and  it  is 
probable  that  8  or  9  cents  per  ton  of  steel  is  nearer  the  truth  for  normal  prewar  con- 
ditions, but  greater  economy  in  the  use  of  magnesite,  and  especially  in  the  use  of 
dead-burned  grain  and  the  substitution  therefor  of  dead-burned  dolomite  have  tended 
to  offset  the  high  war  prices 


^Magnesite.  Hearings  before  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means,  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, on  H.  R.  5218,  June  16  and  17,  1919;  Part  II,  July  17,  1919.  Gov't 
Printing  Office,  1919. 

'Op.  cit.,  pp.   218,   219. 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  97 

"Dead-burned  dolomite  has  been  used  In  the  past  as  a  refractory  In  repairing 
furnace  linings,  but  statistics  showing  the  extent  of  this  application  are  lacking. 
According  to  data  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  340,000  tons  of  dead-burned 
dolomite  was  marketed  in  1917 — figures  which  Indicate  at  least  an  Important  degree 
of  competition  with  grain  magneslte." 

*  *  *  *  •  *  •  ' 

"FREIGHT  RATES  AND  COSTS  AT  EASTERN  POINTS. 

"The  recent  price  for  Washington  calcined  magneslte  has  been  $32.50  per  ton  at 
Chewelah,  Wash.  Little  or  no  California  magneslte  has  recently  come  East  for 
refractory  purposes,  but  some  has  been  shipped  to  Chicago  for  plastic  purposes.  The 
latter  involves  very  careful  selection  and  fine  grinding  and  Is  put  In  bags.  Conse- 
quently, it  is  much  higher  in  price  than  that  used  for  refractory  purposes,  and  the 
price  varies  with  the  care  exercised  in  preparation.  Magneslte  brick  this  spring  at 
Chester,  Pa.,  were  $90  per  ton,  or  $450  per  thousand,  and  this  price  is  still  quoted  In 
some  of  the  latest  technical  journals. 

"Freight  rates  plus  war  tax  to  Pittsburg  from  California  and  Washington  points 
are  $14.21  per  ton  and  to  Chester,  Pa.,  $16.07  per  ton,  making  the  total  cost  per  ton 
of  grain  magneslte  at  these  points  $46.71  and  $48.57,  respectively.  The  freight  rate 
on  calcined  Canadian  magneslte  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  is  about  $8.50  which  is  just  about 
half  of  what  it  was  from  the  western  points  to  that  city. 

"LOCATION  OF  PRINCIPAL  REFRACTORY  COMPANIES. 

"There  are  undoubtedly  many  small  manufacturers  of  magneslte  brick  scattered 
over  the  country.  The  great  bulk  of  the  brick  Is,  however,  turned  out  by  9  to  10  con- 
cerns, and  of  these  4  or  5  companies  produce  most  of  the  brick  manufactured.  These 
largest  magnesite  brick  concerns  are  all  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  United  States,  from 
the  Mississippi  Valley  to  Pennsylvania  points.  The  plant  of  the  Harbison-Walker 
Co.,  where  magnesite  brick  Is  made,  is  at  Chester,  Pa. ;  that  of  the  American  Refrac- 
tories Co.  is  at  Baltimore,  Md.  ;  that  of  the  General  Refractories  Co.  is  at  Bolivar, 
Pa.  ;  that  of  Federal  Refractories  Co.  is  at  Lock  Haven,  Pa.  Other  plants  are 
located  at  Johnstown,  Pa.,  and  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  and  at  Seattle 
and  Spokane,  Wash.  Of  course,  grain  magnesite  for  furnace  use  may  be  shipped 
direct  to  the  consumers ;  it  is  only  the  material  sold  in  the  form  of  brick  that  has  to 
go  into  the  trade  by  way  of  brick-making  establishments," 

Some  conflicts  arose  in  the  testimony  as  to  the  relative  qualities  of 
the  American  and  foreign  magnesite;  but  the  more  reliable  data  pre- 
sented indicated  that  the  American  article  is  equal  in  quality  to 
any  other. 

Output  and  Value. 

In  considering  mineral  production  the  value  of  the  crude  material 
is  used  as  far  as  practicable.  Magnesite  presents  a  peculiar  example 
of  a  material  which  previous  to  the  present  activity  was  seldom  handled 
on  the  market  in  the  crude  state.  It  is  ordinarily  calcined  and  ground 
before  being  considered  marketable.  From  2  to  2^  tons  of  the  crude 
material  are  mined  to  make  one  ton  of  the  calcined.  In  the  earlier 
reports  an  arbitrary  value  for  the  crude  material  at  the  mine  was 
calculated  from  the  above  on  the  basis  of  the  calcined  value,  there 
having  been  very  little  product  shipped  crude.  On  the  contrary,  how- 
ever, considerable  tonnages  were  in  1916-1918  (inc.)  shipped  in  the 
crude  state,  contracted  for  at  prices  ranging  from  $7  to  $14  per  ton, 
f.o.b.  rail  points,  or  an  average  of  about  $9.55  per  ton,  for  1918.  This 
is  the  basis  of  the  valuation  used  herein. 

The  production  of  crude  magnesite  in  California  during  the  year 
1918,  totaled  83,974  tons  valued  at  $803,492  f.o.b.  rail-shipping  point. 
This  is  considerably  less  than  half  the  1917  output  of  209,648  tons  and 
$1,976',227.  This  is  due  in  large  part,  as  indicated  in  preceding  para- 
graphs, to  the  development  of  the  deposits  in  the  state  of  Washington. 

7-47382 


98  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

They,  in  turn,  have  been  nearly  all  (if  not  entirely)  closed  down,  accord- 
ing to  recent  reports,  by  the  importation  of  magnesite  from  eastern 
Canada,  which  is  closer  to  the  steel-producing  centers,  and  by  the 
expectation  of  receiving  ore  from  Europe.  The  Canadian  magnesite, 
though  containing  an  objectionable  percentage  of  lime,  is  being  used 
on  account  of  being  cheaper  and  nearer  at  hand.  Very  likely  impor- 
tations from  Austria  and  Greece  will  be  resumed  before  long. 

It  looks  as  if  the  main  hope  for  the  future  for  California  magnesite 
lies  in  the  development  of  the  plastic  business  in  the  territory  west  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains;  and  in  the  manufacture  of  refractory  brick  to 
be  utilized  mainly  by  the  copper  and  lead  smelters  in  the  same  district. 
It  is  possible  that,  after  ocean  shipping  has  resumed  its  normal  routes, 
California  magnesite  may  be  sent  via  the  Panama  Canal  to  the  Atlantic 
seaboard;  but,  on  account  of  our  higher  production  costs,  it  is  difficult 
to  see  how  we  can  compete  with  the  Grecian  article  at  Atlantic  ports. 

Three  new  plants  were  reported  early  in  1919  as  preparing  to  make 
refractory  brick  here  from  California  magnesite,  one  each  at  Porter- 
ville,  Los  Angeles,  and  Richmond.  For  at  least  two  years  past,  the 
output  of  the  Refractory  Magnesite  Company  at  I'reston,  Sonoma 
County,  has  been  turned  into  bricks  at  the  plant  of  the  Stockton  Fire 
and  Enamel  Brick  Company,  at  Stockton.  The  mineral  from  this 
property  is  a  natural  ferro-magnesite  and  has  found  a  ready  market 
for  refractory  purposes.  That  from  the  White  Rock  Mine  in  Napa 
County  also  carries  some  iron. 

"NEEDS  FOR  STANDARDIZING  THE  DOMESTIC  PRODUCT.' 

"One  of  the  most  important  factors  in  the  success  of  Austrian  magnesite  has  been 
the  careful  standardization  of  the  finished  product  attained  only  by  careful  selection 
and  preparation  of  the  raw  material,  and  skillful  burning,  whereby  a  product  of  uni- 
form quality  has  been  assured.  Uniformity  and  close  adherence  to  specifications 
undoubtedly  have  been  important  factors  in  the  growth  of  both  Austrian  and  Grecian 
business  in  the  United  States.  These  factors  are  called  to  the  attention  of  certain  of 
our  domestic  producers  because  laxity  on  the  part  of  a  few  of  them  in  these  respects 
has  caused  some  dissatisfaction  among  certain  domestic  consumers,  and  unfortunately 
an  unsympathetic  attitude  toward  them,  at  the  present  time. 

"There  were  undoubtedly  extenuating  circumstances  during  the  war  period,  among 
which  was  the  sudden  and  urgent  demand  caused  by  the  complete  cutting  off  of  the 
Austrian  and  Grecian  product,  together  with  a  certain  degree  of  inexperience  in  the 
business.  The  importance  to  our  own  producers  of  careful  selection  and  care  in  burn- 
ing can  not  be  over-emphasized  in  the  building  up  and  maintenance  of  the  domestic 
Industry,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  domestic  producers  are  alive  to  the  situation." 

In  1918,  for  the  first  time  since  Tulare  County  became  an  important 
producer  of  this  mineral,  it  was  surpassed  in  tonnage  output  for  the 
year.  Napa  County  leads  with  ^9,163  tons,  against  28,826  tons  from 
Tulare,  followed  by  Santa  Clara  with  9,746  tons.  Approximately 
40,000  tons  were  reported  as  shipped  calcined. 

Production  of  crude  magnesite  for  1918,  by  counties,  is  given  in  the 
following  table,  with  total  crude  value : 


>Phalen,  W.  C,  Magnesite.     In  "Excerpta  from  monthly  reports  on  minerals  investigations  In  the  Bureau 
of  Mines,  Department  of  the  Interior,"  February.  1919. 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


99 


County 


Tona 


Value 


Fresno  _ 

Napa  

San  Benito _ __ 

Santa  Olara 

Sonoma 

Stanislaus _ 

Tulare  

Kern.  Riverside,  San  Bernardino*. 


1.795 

$16,151 

29,163 

263.367 

5.340 

48.060 

9,746 

121,872 

4.110 

40,010 

2.024 

18.038 

28.826 

269,748 

2,970 

26.246 

Totals. 


83.974 


$803,492 


^Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  producer  in  each. 


Annual  production  for  California,  amount  and  value,  since  1887,  is 
shown  in  the  following  tabulation : 


Tear 

Tom 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

ValW 

1887 

1888 

600 
600 
600 
600 
1.500 
1,500 
1.093 
1.440 
2.200 
1,500 
1,143 
1,263 
1,280 
2,262 
4,726 
2.830 
1.361 

$9,000 

9.000 
9.000 
9.000 
15.000 
15.000 
10.930 
10,240 
17.000 
11.000 
13,671 
19,075 
18.480 
19.333 
43,057 
20,655 
20.515 

1904 

1905 

2.850 
3,933 
4,032 
6,405 

10,582 
7,942 

16.570 
8.858 

10,512 
9,632 

11,438 

30,721 
154,052 
209,648 

83.974 

$9,298 
16.221 
40320 

1889  

1906 

1890 

1907 

57,720 

1891 

1908 

80,822 

1892 _. 

1909 

62,588 

1893 — 

1910 

113,887 

1894 

1911     -   -  _   . 

67,430 

1895 

1912 

105,120 

1896 _ 

1913 

77,056 

1897  

1P14 

114,380 

1898 

1915 

283,461 

1899 

1916  -  -  — 

1,311.893 

1900 

1917 

1,976,227 

1901 

1918 

803,492 

1902 

Totals 

1903 

597,637 

$5,389,871 

MARBLE. 

BihUography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  M.,  Bull.  106. 

Marble  is  widely  distributed  in  California;  and  in  a  considerable 
variety  of  colors  and  grain.  During  1918,  the  production  amounted  to 
17,548  Icubic  feet,  valued  at  $49,898,  from  one  operator  each  in  Los 
Angeles,  San  Bernardino  and  Solano  counties,  and  two  in  Tuolumne. 
The  Solano  County  stone  is  onyx  marble,  and  that  from  Los  Angeles 
is  serpentine  from  Santa  Catalina  Island.  Both  varieties  were  used 
for  decorative  purposes ;  and  some  of  the  serpentine  was  also  utilized 
for  electric  switchboard  construction.  This  shows  a  decrease  both  in 
amount  and  value  from  the  previous  year.  This  is  considerably  below 
what  might  be  considered  the  normal  output  of  former  years,  and  cer- 
tainly far  below  our  possibilities. 

The  decrease  in  output  of  marble  in  recent  years  is  probably  due  in 
part  to  the  fact  that  foreign,  eastern  and  Alaskan  marbles  are  landed 
piere  by  water  cheaper  than  much  of  our  local  stone  can  be  put  on  the 


100 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


market,  on  account  'of  our  higher  labor  costs  and  transportation  difficul- 
ties, though  California  has  many  beautiful  and  serviceable  varieties. 
It  is  also  due  in  part  to  the  general  curtailment  of  building  activity  on 
account  of  the  war  conditions. 

Data  on  annual  production  since  1887,  as  compiled  by  the  State 
Mining  Bureau,  follows.  Previous  to  1894  no  records  of  amount  were 
preserved : 


Tear 

Cubic  feet 

Value 

Year 

Cubic  feet 

Value 

1887       

$5,000 

5,000 

87,030 

80.000 

lOO.OOO 

115,000 

40,000 

98,326 

56,566 

82,415 

7,280 

23,594 

10,550 

6,891 

4,630 

37,616 

97,354 

1904  - 

1905 - 

55,401 
73,303 
31,400 
37,512 
18,653 
79,600 
18.960 
20,201 
27,820 
41,654 
25,436 
22,186 
25,954 
24,755 
*17,428 

$94,208 

1888 

129,450 

1889 

1906    

75.800 

1890          

1907 

1908 

118,066 

1891 

47.665 

1892 

1909    

238,400 

1893 

1910                 

50,200 

1894    

38,441 

14,864 

7.889 

4,102 

8,050 

9,682 

4,103 

2,945 

19,305 

84,624 

1911  _„ 

1912  _ 

54,103 

1895       

74.120 

1896 

1913       - 

113,282 

1897 

1914 

48,832 

1898    

1915 _ 

1916 - _ 

41,518 

1899       

50,280 

1900 

1917 ^— 

1918 

62,950 

1901 

49,898 

1902  .__ 

1903 -^ 

Total  value 

$2,055,024 

*Includes  onyx  and  serpentine. 

ONYX  and  TRAVERTINE. 
Bibliography.  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV.     Bui-: 
letin  38. 
Onyx  and  travertine  are  known  to  exist  in  a  number  of  places  in 
California,  but  there  has  been  no  production  reported  since  the  year 
1896,  until  1918.     Some  stone  was  shipped  in  1918  from  the  Tolenas, 
Springs  onyx  marble  deposit  in  Solano  County,  and  utilized  for  deco- 
rative purposes.     As  there  was  but  a  single  operator,  the  figures  are 
combined  with  those  of  the  marble  output. 

Production  by  years  was  as  follows:                                                      : 

Tear 

Value 

Year 

Value      1 

1887  - 

$900 

900 

900 

1,500 

2,400 

1.800 

27,000 

1894 

$20,000* 

1888 

1895 

12,000 

1889        

1896 

24.000 

1890                    

1918 

1891                              

Total 

1892  

$91,400 

1893 

♦See  under  Marble, 

SANDSTONE. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  M.,  Bull.  124. 
An  unlimited  amount  of  high-grade  sandstone  is  available  in  Cali- 
fornia, but  the  wide  use  of  concrete  in  buildings  of  every  character, 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


101 


well  as  the  popularity  of  a  lighter  colored  building  stone,  has  retarded 
this  branch  of  the  mineral  industry  very  seriously  during  recent  years. 
In  1918  two  counties — Santa  Barbara  and  Ventura — turned  out  900 
cubic  feet,  valued  at  $400,  which  is  considerably  less  than  former  years. 
The  main  feature  of  the  loss  since  1914  is  the  closing  of  the  well-known 
Colusa  quarries,  on  account  of  the  competition  of  lighter  colored 
materials. 

Amount  and  value,  as  far  as  contained  in  the  records  of  this  Bureau, 
are  presented  herewith,  with  total  value  from  1887  to  date : 


Year 

CuWn  feet 

Va!u« 

Year 

Cubic  feet 

Value 

1887     

$175,000 

150.000 

175.598 

100.000 

100,000 

50,000 

26.314 

113.592 

35.373 

28,379 

24,086 

46,384 

103.384 

254.140 

192,132 

142,506 

585.309 

1904 

1905 

363,487 

302.813 

182.076 

159.573 

93.301 

79,240 

165.971 

255,313 

66,487 

62,227 

111,691 

63.350 

17.270 

31,090 

900 

$567,181 
483,268 

1888 

1889  _ 

1906  

164,068 

1890 

1907 

148,148 

1891   

1908 

1909    -   _ 

55.151 

1892      _ 

37,032 

1893 

1910 

80  443 

1894 

1911 

127  314 

1895 

1912  _ 

22,574 

1896  

1913 

27.870 

1897  -  -   „ 

1914 

45.322 

1898 

1915 

1916 

1917 

1918 

Total  value 

8.438 

1899 

56,264 
378,468 
266,741 
212,123 
353.002 

10.271 

1900 _ 

7,074 

1901   

400 

1902 

1903        —  - 

$4,086,751 

SERPENTINE. 

Bibliography :  Report  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

Serpentine  has  not  been  produced  in  California  to  a  very  large  extent 
at  any  time.  A  single  deposit,  that  on  Santa  Catalina  Island,  has 
yielded  the  principal  output  to  date.  Some  material  was  shipped  from 
there  in  1917  and  1918,  being  the  first  recorded  since  1907.  It  was  used 
for  decorative  building  purposes  and  for  electrical  switchboards.  As 
there  was  but  a  single  operator,  the  figures  are  combined  with  those  of 
marble  output. 

The  following  table  shows  the  amount  and  value  of  serpentine  from 
1895  as  recorded  by  this  Bureau: 


Year 


1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 

1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 


Cubic  feet 


4,000 
1,500 

2,500 
750 
500 
350 
89 
512 
99 


Value 


$4,000 
6,000 
2,500 
3,000 
2.000 
2.000 

890 
5,065 

800 


Year 


1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1917 
1918 


Totals 


Cubic  feet 


200 


847 
1.000 

1 


12.347 


Value 


$2,310 


1.694 
8.000 

1 
s 


$33,259 


'Under  TJnapportioned. 
'See  under  Marble. 


102 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


SLATE. 

Bibliography :  Report  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

Slate  was  first  produced  in  California  in  1889.  Up  to  and  including 
1910  such  production  was  continuous,  there  being  none  between  that 
year  and  1915.  Large  deposits  of  excellent  quality  are  known  in  the 
state,  especially  in  El  Dorado,  Calaveras  and  Mariposa  counties,  but 
the  demand  has  been  light  owing  principally  to  competition  of  cheaper 
roofing  materials. 

A  square  of  roofing  slate  is  a  sufficient  number  of  pieces  of  any  size 
to  cover  100  square  feet  of  roof,  with  allowance  generally  for  a  three- 
inch  lap.  The  size  of  the  pieces  ofi  slate  making  up  a  square  ranges 
from  7x9  inches  to  16  x  24  inches,  aild  the  number  of  pieces  in  a  square 
ranges  from  85  to  686.  It  is  worth  $3.50  to  $10  per  square,  f.o.b. 
quarry,  depending  on  quality.  The  Ferry  Building,  San  Francisco,  is 
roofed  with  Eureka  slate  from  El  Dorado  County. 

A  complete  record  of  amount  and  value  of  slate  produced  in  Cali- 
fornia follows: 


Tear 

Squares 

Value 

Year 

Squares 

Value 

1889 - 

4,500 

4,000 

4,000 

3,500 

3,000 

1,800 

1,350 

500 

400 

400 

810 

3,500 

5,100 

4,000 

10.000 

6.000 

$18,089 

24,000 

24,000 

21.000 

21,000 

11.700 

9,450 

2,500 

2,800 

2,800 

5,900 

26,250 

38,250 

30,000 

70.000 

50,000 

1905 

1906 

4,000 
10,000 
7,000 
6.000 
6,961 
1.000 

$40,000 
100,000 

1890 

1891 

1907 

60,000 

1892 

1908 

60,000 

1893 

1909 

45,660 

1894 

1910 

8.000 

1895  

1911 

1896 

1912 

1897 

1913 

1898 

1914  _ _ 

1899   

1915 

1,000 

5,000 

1900 

1916 

1901 

1917 — . 

1918 — 



1902 

1903 

Totals 

1904 — 

88,821 

$676,399 

MISCELLANEOUS  STONE. 

Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
Bulletin  38. 


XV. 


Miscellaneous  stone  is  the  name  used  throughout  this  report  as  the 
title  for  that  branch  of  the  mineral  industry  covering  crushed  rock  of 
all  kinds,  paving  blocks,  sand  and  gravel,  and  pebbles  for  grinding 
mills.  The  foregoing  are  very  closely  related  from  the  standpoint  of 
the  producer.  Thus  it  has  been  found  to  be  most  satisfactory  to  group 
these  items  as  has  been  done  in  recent  reports  of  this  Bureau.  In  so 
far  as  it  has  been  possible  to  do  so,  crushed  rock  production  has  been 
subdivided  into  the  various  uses  to  which  the  product  was  put.     It  will 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


103 


be  noted,  however,  a  very  large  percentage  of  the  output  has  been 
tabulated  under  the  heading  'Unclassified.'  This  is  necessary  because 
of  the  fact  that  many  of  the  producers  have  no  way  of  telling  to  what 
specific  use  their  rock  was  put  after  they  have  quarried  and  sold  the 
same. 

In  addition  to  amounts  produced  by  commercial  firms,  both  corpo- 
rations and  individuals,  there  is  hardly  a  county  in  the  state  but 
uses  more  or  less  gravel  and  broken  rock  on  its  roads.  Of  much  of 
this,  particularly  in  the  country  districts,  there  is  no  definite  record 
kept.  Estimates  have  been  made  for  some  of  this  output,  based  on 
the  mileage  of  roads  repaired. 

For  the  year  1918  miscellaneous  stone  shows  a  decrease  in  total 
value  from  the  preceding  year,  of  $230,610.  The  1918  total  was 
$3,404,157  as  compared  with  $3,634,767  for  1917 ;  $4,171,519  for  1916, 
and  $5,186,743  for  1913.  This  is  a  much  better  showing  than  had  been 
anticipated,  on  account  of  the  curtailment  of  general  construction  work 
due  to  the  war-time  situation  and  regulations,  and  to  freight  car 
embargoes. 

The  outlook  for  the  current  year,  1919,  is  very  encouraging.  Besides 
a  marked  revival  in  general  building  operations,  an  extensive  program 


Columnar  basalt  at  Dunsmuir,  Siskiyou  County.     Basalt  is  an  excellent  material  as 
crushed  rock  for  macadam  and   concrete. 


104 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF   CALIFORNIA. 


of  highway  construction  is  under  way:  not  only  by  the  federal  and 
state  departments,  but  by  many  of  the  counties  of  California,  as  well. 

The  recent  freight  rate  reductions  of  10  cents  a  ton  on  road  materials 
for  use  by  federal,  state  or  municipal  governments  will  not  doubt  also 
be  an  important  factor  in  stimulating  this  work. 

In  1918,  as  has  been  the  case  for  a  number  of  years  past,  Los  Angeles 
County  led  all  others  by  a  wide  margin,  with  an  output  valued  at 
$547,190;  followed  by  Contra  Costa,  second,  with  $324,884;  Alameda, 
third,  $311,320;  Sacramento,  fourth,  $262,689;  and  Fresno,  fifth, 
$244,647. 

Paving  Blocks. 

The  paving  block  industry  has  decreased  materially  of  recent  years, 
because  of  the  increased  construction  of  smoother  pavements  demanded 
by  motor  vehicle  traffic.  The  blocks  made  in  Solano  County  were  of 
basalt;  those  from  Sonoma  are  of  basalt,  andesite,  and  some  trachyte; 
while  those  from  all  the  other  counties  shown  in  the  tabulation,  are  of 
granite. 

Paving   Block  Production,  by  Counties,  for  1918. 


OouBty 

Amount 
M 

Value 

Riverside        „>                         _ 

41 

300 

31 

$1,980 

Sonoma       _                                               _            _          _     _    _ 

13,500 

Placer  and  San  Diego*_-_                 .   - 

1,520 

Totals 

372 

$17,000 

*Oombined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  producer  in  each. 

The  amount  and  value  of  paving  block  production  annually  since 
1887  has  been  as  follows : 


,_ 

Amount 
M. 

Value 

Tear 

Amoitnt 

Value 

1887 ..__ 

♦10,000 
10,500 
7,303 
7,000 
5,000 
*3,000 
2,770 
2,517 
2,332 
4,161 
1,711 
1,144 
305 
1,192 
1,920 
3,502 
4.854 

$350,000 

367,500 

297,236 

245.000 

150,000 

96,000 

96.950 

66.981 

73,338 

77,584 

35,235 

21.725 

7.861 

23,775 

41,075 

112,437 

134,642 

1904 

3,977 

3,408 

4,203 

4,604 

7,660 

4,503 

4,434 

4,141 

11,018 

6,364 

6,053 

3,285 

1,322 

938 

372 

$161,752 
134,347 

1888    

1905 

1889   _ 

1906 

173,432 

1890    .. 

1907 

199,347 
334,780 

1891    

1908 

1892    __ 

1909 

199,803 

1893   

1910 

198,916 

1894 

1911 

210,819 

1895    

1912 

578,355 
363,505 
270,598 

1896    ._ _ 

1913 

1897    

1914 

1898   

1915 

171,092 

1899    

1916 

54,362 

1900 

1917 

38,567 

1901    

1918 

17,000 

1902 

Totals 

1903 

135.483 

$5,304,014 

•Figures  for  1887-1892  (Inc.)  are  for  Sonoma  County  only,  as  none  are  available 
for  other  counties  during  that  period ;  though  Solano  County  quarries  were  then  also 
quite  active. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


105 


irinding   Mill   Pebbles. 

Production  of  pebbles  for  tube  and  grinding  mills  began  commercially 
m  California  in  1915.  Owing  to  the  decreased  imports  and  higher 
►rices  of  Belgium  and  other  European  flint  pebbles,  there  has  been  a 
srious  inquiry  for  domestic  sources  of  supply.  One  of  the  shipments 
lade  in  that  year  was  of  pebbles  selected  from  gold-dredger  tailings  in 
>acramento  County,  for  use  in  a  gold  mill  in  Amador  County  employing 
'ardinge  mills. 

The  important  development  in  this  item,  however,  has  been  in  San 
Diego  County.  At  several  points  along  the  ocean  shore  from  Encinitas 
south  to  near  San  Diego,  there  are  beaches  of  washed  pebbles  varying 
from  1  inch  to  6  inches  in  diameter,  which  came  from  conglomerate 
beds  made  up  of  well-rounded  water-worn  pebbles  of  various  granitic 
and  porphyritic  rocks  with  some  felsite  and  flint.  The  wave  action  has 
broken  down  portions  of  the  cliffs  for  considerable  distances  and  formed 
beaches  of  the  pebbles  which  are  well  washed  and  cleaned  of  the 
softer  materials.  The  rocks  sorted  out  for  shipment  are  mainly  basalt 
and  diabase,  with  an  occasional  felsite  and  flint  pebble.  There  is  a 
tough,  black  basalt  which  is  stated  to  be  giving  satisfactory  results. 
The  Fresno  County  pebbles  are  selected  from  the  gravel  beds  of  the 
San  Joaquin  River  near  Friant.  Shipments  have  been  made  to  metal- 
lurgical plants  in  California,  Nevada,  Montana,  and  Utah. 

Resumption  of  imports  is  expected  in  1919,  but  the  California  pebbles 
may  still  continue  to  supply  a  part  of  the  local  demand. 


Grinding   Mill   Pebbles  Production,  for  1918. 

County 

Tons 

Value 

Fresno  and  San  Diego*              -              _  _  _  _    

8,628 

$61,268 

♦Combined   to   conceal   output  of  a  single  producer  in  Fresno   County. 


The  amount  and  value  of  grinding  mill  pebbles,  annually,  follows : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

1915                                                                                                      _  _    __ 

340 

20.232 

21.450 

8,628 

$2,810 

1916 

107.567 

1917                                                             - 

90.538 

1918                                               ^                                  _        __        

61.268 

Totals  -      -      - 

50.650 

$262,183 

106 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


Sand  and  Gravel  Production,  by  Counties,  for  1918. 


County 


Tons 


Alameda  

Amador 

Calaveras  

Colusa  

Contra  Costa  

Del  Norte 

El  Dorado  

Fresno  

Glenn 

Humboldt  

Imperial  

Inyo 

Lake  

Los  Angeles 

Madera 

Marin  

Mariposa  

Mendocino ' 

Merced  

Monterey  

Napa  

Nevada   

Orange  

Placer  

Plumas   

Sacramento  

San  Benito 

San  Bernardino 

San  Diego  

San  Francisco  

San  Joaquin  

San  Luis  Obispo 

San  Mateo ^ 

Santa  Barbara  

Santa  Clara 

Santa  Cruz  

Shasta  

Siskiyou  

Solano 

Sonoma 

Stanislaus  _„ 

Tehama 

Tulare  

Tuolumne 

Ventura   

Yolo 

Yuba  

Butte,  Kern,  Riverside,  Trinity* 

Totals __ 


1548,491 

$222,675 

2,000 

1,500 

70O 

420 

1,600 

700 

24,209 

7,420 

20,000 

8,000 

8,500 

5,500 

59,298 

22,898 

212,017 

32,436 

61,631 

39,691 

54,872 

8,570 

1,333 

1,000 

1,500 

1,000 

943,742 

280,300 

1,600 

30O 

1,900 

390 

500 

200 

13,333 

5.000 

11,100 

4,500 

287,251 

49.697 

172,829 

77,707 

500 

200 

9,200 

1,560 

5,850 

2,500 

500 

200 

119,512 

53,683 

29,000 

9,800 

12,000 

7,685 

«107,315 

85,645 

7,809 

5,257 

117,874 

42,767 

15,500 

5,450 

9,743 

6,257 

8,067 

3,875 

161,871 

78,085 

*7,567 

3,065 

15,000 

7,000 

33,767 

11,055 

3,000 

1,800 

72,638 

33,677 

53,322 

38,764 

2,667 

2,500 

135,082 

34,556 

1,000 

500 

105,000 

50,400 

10,830 

17,915 

161,459 

42,691 

69,532 

12,852 

3,504,011 


*Oomblned  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

ilndud  s  moulding  sand. 

^Includes  moulding,  building,  and  roofing  sand. 

^Includes  foundry  moulding  sand. 

♦Includes  chicken  grit. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


107 


00  03 -^  CO  ko  cf  i-T  05 1-7 

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108 


MIITERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


A  comparison  of  the  table  of  annual  productions  of  these  materials 
with  the  similar  table  for  cement  (see  ante),  reveals  the  fact  that  the 
important  growth  of  the  crushed  rock  and  gravel  business  was  coinci- 
dent with  the  rapid  development  of  the  cement  industry  from  the  year 
1902. 

The  amount  and  value,  annually,  of  crushed  rock  (including  macadam, 
ballast,  rubble,  riprap,  and  that  for  concrete),  and  sand  and  gravel, 
since  1893,  follow : 


Crushed  Rock,  Sand  and  Gravel,  by  Years. 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1893       _ 

371,100 

661.900 

1,254,688 

960,619 

821,123 

1,177.365 

964,898 

789,287 

530,396 

2,056,015 

2,215,625 

2,296,898 

2,624,257 

1,555,372 

$456,075 

664,838 

1,095.939 

839.884 

600,112 

814,477 

786,892 

561,642 

641,037 

1,249,529 

1,673,591 

1,641,877 

1,716,770 

1.418,406 

1907           _      _        __ 

2,288,888 
3,998,945 
5,531,561 
5,827,828 
6,487,223 
8,044,937 
9,817,616 
9,288,397 
10,879,497 
9,951,089 
8,069,271 
6,641,144 

$1,915,015 

1894  _ 

1908 

3,241,774 

1895 

1909       

2,708,326 

1896 - 

1910 

2,777,690 

1897 

1911 

3,610,357 

1898  — - 

1912 ._ 

4,532,598 

1899  _ 

1913 

1914 

4,823,056 

1900   

3,960,973 

1901 

1915 

4,609,278 

1902 

1916  ___ 

4,009,590 

1903    

1917 

3,505,662 

1904 

1918 - 

3,325,889 

1905 

Totals 

1906 - 

105,105,939 

$57,181,277 

STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


109 


Total   Value  of   Production 
Paving    Blocks  and 

of    'Miscellaneous  Stone' 
Grinding    IVIill   Pebbles), 

(Crushed    Rock,  Sand,   Gravel, 
by  Counties,  for   1918. 

County 

Value 

Alameda - - 

$311,320 

Amador 

6,500 

Butte       . 

77,822 

Calaveras - - 

420 

Oolusa - 

700 

Contra  Costa    -      - _      _ _      _ 

324,884 

Del  Norte 

8,000 

El  Dorado                                                   -  _  _         _  _ - 

20,500 

Fresno     _ - - - - 

244,&47 

Glenn                                                      -_                  -_-- 

32,436 

Humboldt          _ 

51,082 

Imperial                                                                             -                  «    _-    — 

34,787 

Inyo        ,       _      _ - « 

5,000 

Kern  __ 

311 

Lake    ---__-__    —    _ 

1,000 

Lassen 

800 

Los  Angeles             _                  _ 

547,190 

Madera  - 

1,540 

Marin 

89,458 

Mariposa              ______         __ 

400 

Mendocino  ^ 

5,000 

Merced       _            _            _ 

32,500 

Modoc 

200 

Monterey 

52,697 

Napa 

82,944 

Nevada  

1,400 

Orange 

1,560 

Placer  

4,266 

Plumas  ___^ 

7,750 

Riverside _      _ 

127,962 

Sar»ramento 

262,689 

Sdn  Benito    _  _               _                                  ^                                _         

103,295 

San  Bernardino 

48,451 

San  Diego 

184,158 

San  Francisco 

16,463 

San  Joaquin 

47,085 

San  Luis  Obispo _         _    _                              _ 

6,100 

San  Mateo 

34,164 

Santa  Barbara    _      _ 

11,613 

Santa  Clara ^ 

111,860 

Santa  Cruz 

9,107 

Shasta 

7,000 

24,588 

30,124 

Sonoma   

148,347 

Stanislaus 

38,764 

2,500 

1,513 

Tulare  ___ 

125,407 

Tuolumne  

1,700 

52,900 

Yolo  _ 

17,915 

Yuba 

43,338 

Total___ _ $3,404,157 


110  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  FIVE. 

INDUSTRIAL  MATERIALS. 

Bibliography :  Reports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  38.     Min.  &  Sci.  Press, 
Vol.  114,  March  10,  1917. 

The  following  mineral  substances  have  been  arbitrarily  arranged 
under  the  general  heading  of  Industrial  Materials,  as  distinguished  from 
those  which  have  a  clearly  defined  classification,  such  as  metals,  salines, 
structural  materials,  etc. 

These  materials,  many  of  which  are  mineral  earths,  are,  with  four 
or  five  exceptions,  as  yet  produced  on  a  comparatively  small  scale.  The 
possibilities  of  development  along  several  of  these  lines  are  large  and 
with  increasing  transportation,  and  other  facilities,  together  with  stead- 
ily growing  demands,  the  future  for  this  branch  of  the  mineral  industry 
in  California  is  certainly  promising.  There  is  scarcely  a  county  in  the 
state  but  might  contribute  to  the  output. 

Up  to  within  the  last  few  years,  at  least,  production  has  been  in  the 
majority  of  instances  dependent  upon  more  or  less  of  a  strictly  local 
market,  and  the  annual  tables  show  the  results  of  such  a  condition,  not 
only  in  the  widely  varying  amounts  of  a  certain  material  produced  from 
year  to  year,  but  in  widely  varying  prices  of  the  same  material.  Fur- 
thermore, the  quality  of  this  general  class  of  material  will  be  found  to 
fluctuate,  even  in  the  same  deposit.  The  war  in  Europe  has  affected 
some  of  these  items,  but  not  to  the  striking  degree  that  it  has  the  metal 
markets. 

The  more  important  of  these  minerals  thus  far  exploited,  so  far  as 
shown  by  annual  value  of  the  output,  are  limestone,  mineral  water, 
pyrite,  pottery  clays,  and  diatomaceous  earth. 

The  following  summary  shows  the  value  of  the  industrial  materials 
produced  in  California  during  the  years  1917-1918,  with  increase  or 
decrease  in  each  instance : 


STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


Ill 


Metal 

1917 

1918 

Increa8e+ 
Decrease- 
Value 

Amount 

Value 

Amount          {      Value 

Asbestos 

136  tons              $10,225 

4,420  tons         1          25,633 

166,296  tons                 154,602 

27,911  tons                 fifi.4ifi 

229  tons        ^          $0,903 

100  tons                   1,600 

112,423  tons                 166,788 

24,560  tons                   79,441 

4,132  tons                   22,061 

♦  • 

87  tons        1              388 

650 

•  • 

19,695  tons                   37,176 

85,963  tona                180,469 

208,566  tons         '         456,258 

4,111  tons                   73,998 

728  tons                    4,738 

1,808,791  gals.                 375,650 

2,114  tons                 28,669 

128,329  tons                 425,012 

23,257  tons                   88,930 

11,760  tons                  85,534 

2,900  tons                  33.COO 

4,104 

$322- 
24,183- 
12,186+ 
13.025+ 
24,350- 

•  + 
13*7- 
2,390— 

•  __ 

10,064— 

61,040+ 

90.862+ 

65,198+ 

2.038+ 

34,984+ 

23,374+ 

101,306+ 

47,764+ 

40,255+ 

4,000- 

1,506- 

Barytes  — 

Clay  (pottery) 

Feldspar    

Fluorspar 

Fuller's  earth 

Gems   

11,792  tons 

* 

220  tons 

46,411 

« 

2,180 
3,049 

• 

56,840 

127,610 

356,396 

8,800 

2,700 

340,666 

5,295 

323,704 

41,166 

45,279 

37,000 

5,612 

Graphite 

Gypsum   

Infusorial  and  diatoma- 

ceous  earths  

Limestone                 

• 
30,825  tons 

24,301  tons 

237,279  tons 

880  tons 

520  tons 

1,942,020  gals. 

525  tons 

111,325  tons 

19,376  tons 

5,267  tons 

3,050  tons 

Lithia 

Mineral  paint 

Mineral  water  

Pumice  and  volcanic  ash_ 

Pyrite   

Silica  (sand  and  quartz) 

Soapstone  and  talc 

Strontium 

Fluorspar  and  graphite*. 

Totals 

$1,659,484 

1    $2,083,204 

Net  increase __. 

$423,720+ 

*Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


ASBESTOS. 
Bibliography.  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV.     Bul- 
letin 38.     Canadian  Dept.  of  M.,  Mines  Branch  Bull.  69. 

Though  asbestos  of  various  grades  is  known  in  several  localities  in 
California,  the  production  thus  far  is  still  small.  For  the  year  1918 
there  were  marketed  229  tons  valued  at  $9,903.  This  was  principally 
from  Nevada  County,  with  smaller  amounts  from  Alameda  and  Cala- 
veras. Some  small  shipments  of  spinning  fibre  were  sent  East ;  but  the 
main  part  of  the  output  was  utilized  locally  in  magnesite-cement  stucco, 
steam-pipe  covering,  and  flooring. 

The  Nevada  County  material  yields  a  good  proportion  of  medium- 
length  chrysotile  with  some  high-grade  spinning  fibre.  The  Sierra 
Asbestos  Company  has  opened  up  a  promising  deposit  there,  and  is 
milling  its  rock  in  an  old  20-stamp  gold-mill  converted  to  their  purposes, 
to  which  fiberizing  machinery  has  been  added.  They  report  prospects 
^or  an  increased  output  in  1919. 

The  bulk  of  the  world's  supply  of  this  mineral  comes  from  Canada; 
,and  Canadian  asbestos,  so  far,  leads  in  length  of  fibre  as  weU  as  in 
[quantity. 


112  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

Classification  and  Characteristics. 

The  word  asbestos  (derived  from  the  Greek,  meaning  incombustible) 
as  used  here  includes  several  minerals,  from  a  strictly  mineralogical 
standpoint.  There  are  two  main  divisions,  however;  amphibole  and 
chrysotile.  The  fibrous  varieties  of  several  of  the  amphiboles  (silicates 
chiefly  of  lime,  magnesia  and  iron),  notably  tremolite  and  actinolite, 
are  called  asbestos.  Their  fibres  usually  lie  parallel  to  the  fissures  con- 
taining them.  Amphibole  asbestos  possesses  high  refractory  properties, 
but  lacks  strength  of  fibre,  and  is  applicable  principally  for  covering 
steam  pipes  and  boilers.  Chrysotile,  a  hydrous  silicate  of  magnesia,  is 
a  fibrous  form  of  serpentine,  and  often  of  silky  fineness.  Its  fibres  are 
formed  at  right  angles  to  the  direction  of  the  fissures  containing  them. 
Chrysotile  fibres,  though  short,  have  considerable  strength  and  elasticity, 
and  may  be  spun  into  threads  and  woven  into  cloth.  To  bring  the 
highest  market  price  asbestos  must  needs  have  a  combination  of  prop- 
erties, i.  e.,  length  and  fineness  of  fibre,  tensile  strength  and  flexibility — 
all  combined  with  infusibility.  Of  these  qualities  the  most  important 
are  toughness  and  infusibility,  and  determination  of  the  same  can  only 
be  made  by  practical  tests  or  in  the  laboratory. 

Asbestos,  roughly  speaking,  was  worth  from  $20  to  $200  per  ton, 
before  the  war.  Under  the  stimulus  of  war  conditions,  the  demand  has 
caused  a  material  increase  in  prices.  The  poorer  grades  which  are 
unsuitable  for  weaving  and  which,  of  course,  command  the  lower  prices, 
are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  steam  packing,  furnace  linings,  asbestos 
brick,  wall  plasters,  paints,  tiling,  asbestos  board,  shingles,  insulating 
material,  magnesite-stucco,  etc.  The  better  grades  are  utilized  in  the 
manufacture  of  tapestries  of  various  kinds,  fireproof  theater  curtains, 
cloth,  rope,  etc. 

A  very  important  development  of  the  asbestos  industry  is  the  rapidly 
increasing  demand  for  the  lower  grade  material,  on  account  of  the 
numerous  diversified  uses  to  which  asbestos  products  are  being  put,  in 
almost  every  branch  of  manufacture.  This  fact  means  that  many 
deposits  of  asbestos  will  become  commercially  important  even  though 
the  grade  of  the  material  is  far  from  the  best. 

It  has  been  found  that  not  only  does  an  asbestos  wall-plaster  render 
the  wall  so  covered  impervious  to  heat,  but  that  in  rooms  which  have 
given  forth  an  undesirable  echo  this  evil  has  been  absolutely  removed. 
Asbestos  pulp  mixed  with  magnesite-cement  has  been  experimented  with ; 
and  roofing,  flooring,  and  other  building  material  of  the  most  satis- 
factory sort  has  been  manufactured  therefrom. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


113 


Value  and  Productton. 

Total  amount  and  value  of  asbestos  production  in  California  since 
1887,  as  given  in  the  records  of  this  Bureau,  are  as  follows : 


Te»r 

Tons 

Y*la« 

Tear 

Toni 

Value 

1887 

80 
30 
30 
71 
66 
30 
50 
50 
25 

$1,800 
1.800 
1,800 
4,260 
3,960 
1,830 
2,500 
2.250 
1,000 

1904 

10 

112 

70 

70 

70 

65 

200 

125 

90 

47 

51 

143 

145 

136 

229 

$162 
2,625 
8.500 

1888 

1905 

1906 

1889  _ 

1890 

1907 

3,500 
6,100 

1891 

1908 

1892 

1909 

6500 

1893 

1910 

20,000 

1894 

1911 

500 

1895 

1912 

2,700 

1896 

1913 ^_. 

1914 

1,175 

1897 

1,530 

1898 

10 

30 

50 

110 

200 

750 

1,250 

4,400 

1915 

2,860 

1899 

1916 

2  380 

1900 

1917           -   _ 

10,225 

1901 

1918 

9,903 

1902 

Totals 

1903 

2,145 

$101,460 

BARYTES. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIV,  XV.    Bul- 
letin 38. 

The  output  of  crude  barytes  during  1918  was  100  tons,  valued  at 
$1,500,  as  compared  with  the  1917  production  of  4,420  tons,  worth 
$25,633.  This  mineral  is  ordinarily  sorted  and  ground  before  being 
put  on  the  market,  and  in  this  prepared  condition  brings  from  $15  to 
$25  per  ton.  The  principal  use  of  barytes  is  in  the  paint  industry ;  also 
in  certain  rubber  articles.  For  the  former  purpose,  the  material  should 
show  pure  white  after  grinding.  Lithopone  is  a  chemically  prepared 
white  pigment  containing  about  70%  barium  sulphate  and  30%  zinc 
sulphide,  and  is  one  of  the  principal  constituents  of  *flat'  wall  paints 
now  so  extensively  used  in  office  buildings  and  hospitals,  replacing  both 
paper  and  calcimine  wall  finishes.  Minor  uses  are  in  tanning  of  leather, 
manufacture  of  paper  and  rope,  and  sugar  refining. 

Known  occurrences  of  this  mineral  in  California  are  located  in  Inyo, 
Los  Angeles,  Mariposa,  Monterey,  San  Bernardino,  and  Santa  Barbara 
counties.  The  deposit  at  El  Portal,  in  Mariposa  County,  has  given  the 
largest  commercial  production  to  date,  in  part,  witherite  (barium  car- 
bonate, BaCOs).  The  1915  output  was  the  first  commercial  production 
of  the  carbonate  in  the  United  States,  of  which  we  have  record.  In 
1916,  output  began  from  a  new  deposit  opened  up  on  Fremont's  Peak, 
Monterey  County,  near  the  line  of  San  Benito  County. 


8—47382 


114 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF   CALIPORNU. 


The  first  recorded  production  of  barytes  in  California,  according  to 
the  statistical  reports  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  was  in  1910.  The 
annual  figures  are  as  follows : 


Tmt 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1910 

860 

309 

564 

1,600 

2,000 
410 

$5,640 
2,207 
2.812 
3,680 

3.000 
620 

1916 

1.606 

4,420 
100 

$5,516 

1911 

1917 _-     ._ 

25,633 

1912 

1918       -  -    -_ 

1,500 

1913 

1914 

Totals 

11,869 

$50,608 

1915 

CLAY— POTTERY. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  I,  IV,  IX,  XII,  XIII, 
XIV,  XV.     Bulletin  38. 

At  one  time  or  another  in  the  history  of  the  state,  pottery  clay  has 
been  quarried  in  thirty-three  of  its  counties.  In  this  report  pottery 
clay  refers  to  all  clays  used  in  the  manufacture  of  red  and  brown 
earthenware,  flower  pots,  ornamental  tiling,  architectural  terra  cotta, 
sewer  pipe,  etc.,  and  the  figures  for  amount  and  value  are  relative  to 
the  crude  material  at  the  pit,  without  reference  to  whether  the  clay  was 
sold  in  the  crude  form,  or  whether  it  was  immediately  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  any  of  the  above  finished  products  by  the  producer.  It  does 
not  include  clay  used  in  making  brick  and  building  blocks. 

During  1918  a  total  of  31  producers  in  10  counties  reported  an  output 
of  112,423  tons  of  clay,  having  a  spot  value  of  $166,788  for  the  crude 
material,  at  the  pits,  as  compared  with  the  1917  production  of  166,298 
tons  worth  $154,602. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


115 


116 


MINERAL  IISTDUSTRY  OP   CALIFORNIA. 


A  tabulation  of  the  direct  returns  from  the  producers,  by  counties, 
for  the  year  1918,  is  shown  herewith : 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Used  in  manufacture  of— 

Alameda  ___ 

Amador    _  - 

2,675 
^3,562 

100 

210 

12,634 

3.649 
29,348 

M8,195 
2,050 

$3,850 
34,346 

300 

420 

11,820 

4,650 
29,348 

80,454 
1,600 

Architectural  terra  cotta  and 

sewer  pipe. 
Fire-clay  products,  sewer  and 

Contra  Costa 

chimney    pipe,    architectural 
terra  cotta,  porcelain,  stone- 
ware, pottery,  sanitary  ware, 
and  drain  tile. 
Pottery,  floor  and  faience  tile. 

Humboldt     _  _*■  - 

Drain  tile  and  pottery. 

Los  Angeles 

Terra  cotta,  sewer  pipe,  chim- 

Orange      _ 

ney    pipe,    red    earthenware, 
stoneware,  roofing  and  drain 
tile. 
Drain  tile,  et  al. 

Placer       _       _ 

Terra     cotta,     roofing,     floor, 

Riverside  _ __. 

Santa  Clara  and  Sonoma*. 

faience,  et  al.  tile,  sewer  and 
chimney  pipe,  architectural 
terra  cotta,  sanitary  ware. 

Sewer  pipe,  pottery,  terra 
cotta,  et  al. 

Porcelain,  red  earthenware, 
sewer  pipe,  and  terra  cotta. 

Totals_._ __ 

112,423 

$166,788 

^Includes  washed  kaolin;  also  some  'fire  sand'  used  in  making  fire  brick. 

^Includes  some  ball  clay  used  for  ehinaware. 

•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Because  of  the  fact  that  a  given  product  often  requires  a  mixture  of 
several  different  clays,  and  that  these  are  not  all  found  in  the  same  pit, 
it  is  necessary  for  most  clay- working  plants  to  buy  some  part  of  their  raw 
materials  from  other  localities.  For  these  reasons,  in  compiling  the 
clay  industry  figures,  much  care  is  required  to  avoid  duplications. 
The  present  form  of  clay  blank  sent  out  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau, 
and  the  co-operation  of  the  operatives  in  filling  it  out,  has  enabled  us 
to  make  a  more  intelligent  compilation  of  the  data  than  in  earlier 
reports,  both  as  to  sources  of  the  crude  material  and  as  to  kinds  and 
values  of  the  manufactured  articles.  So  far  as  vve  have  been  able  to 
segregate  them,  we  have  credited  the  clay  output  to  the  counties  from 
which  the  raw  material  originated;  and  have  deducted  tonnages  used 
in  brick  manufacture,  as  bricks  are  classified  separately,  herein. 


STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


117 


The  values  of  the  various  pottery  clay  products  made  in  California 
during  1918,  totaled  $1,687,902,  compared  with  $2,106,460  in  1917,  their 
distribution  being  shown  in  the  following  tabulation : 

Values  of  Pottery  Clay  Products,  1918. 


Product 

Number  ol 
producers 

Value 

Architectural  terra  cotta 

4 
6 

8 
3 

6 

7 
4 

7 

$261,984 

Chimney  pipe,  terra  cotta,  and  flue  linings 

25,097 

Drain  tile 

54,366 

Roofing  tile __ 

109,156 

Sewer  pipe __ 

599,685 

Stoneware  and  sanitary  ware __ 

568,267 

Red  earthenware __ 

25,678 

Miscellaneous— including  art  pottery,  conduit  pipe, 
and  faience  tile,  and  mortar  colors ___ 

floor 

43,669 

Total  value _ 

$1,687,902 

A  recent  and  unique  addition  to  the  pottery  industry  of  California  is 
the  making  of  bisque  doll  heads  by  the  California  China  Company  at 
Berkeley.  The  plant  was  built  in  1916,  but  made  no  commercial  output 
until  1919.  They  are  at  present  making  deliveries  on  a  large  contract 
with  an  eastern  firm  of  doll  manufacturers.  This  is  stated  to  be  the 
only  firm  in  the  United  States  at  present  producing  and  selling  bisque 
doll  heads  on  a  commercial  scale.  Before  the  war,  such  articles  were 
imported  from  Germany.  This  plant  is  using  mainly  California  clays, 
silica,  and  feldspar. 

Amount  and  value  of  crude  pottery  clay  output  in  California  since 
1887  are  given  in  the  following  table : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1887    -         _    _ 

75,000 

75,000 

75,000 

100,000 

100,000 

100,000 

24,856 

28,475 

37,660 

41,907 

24,592 

28,947 

40,eoo 

59,636 
55,679 
67,933 
90,972 

$37,500 
37,500 
37,500 
50,000 
50,000 
50,000 
67,284 
35,073 
39,685 
62,900 
30,290 
33,747 
42,700 
60,956 
39,144 
74,163 
99,907 

1904       -           -_      - 

84,149 
133,805 
167.267 
160,385 
208,042 
299,424 
249,028 
224,576 
199,605 
231,179 
179,948 
157,866 
134.636 
166,298 
112,423 

$81,952 

1888                    -      - 

1905                 -  -    __ 

130,146 

1889 

1906       --_-__ 

162,283 

1890 

1907       

254,454 

1891 

1908     - 

325,147 

1892 

1909       — 

465,647 

1893          -      _ 

1910 

324.099 

1894 

1911     

252,759 

1895 

1912    _ 

215,683 

1896 

1913       -  -    — 

261,273 

1897 

1914       

167,552 

1898 

1915       

133,724 

1899 

1916    

146,538 

1900 

1917    - 

154,602 

1901 

1918       - 

166,788 

1902 

Totals—. 

1903 

3,734,888 

$4,090,996 

118 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


DOLOMITE. 

Bibliography:  Report  XV.     Bulletin  67. 

Previous  to  the  1915  report  dolomite  was  included  under  limestone. 
Limestones  are  frequently  more  or  less  magnesian-bearing,  and  a  chem- 
ical analysis  is  often  necessary  to  definitely  decide  as  to  whether  they 
are  calcite  or  dolomite ;  the  latter  standing  intermediate  between  mag- 
nesite  (MgCOa)  and  calcite  (CaCO.s).  Since  dolomite,  as  such,  has 
been  found  to  have  certain  distinctive  applications,  we  have  deemed  it 
worthy  of  a  separate  classification. 

The  major  portion  of  the  tonnage  being  shipped  is  utilized  as  a 
refractory  lining  in  the  bottoms  of  open-hearth  steel  furnaces,  as  a 
partial  substitute  for  magnesite.  A  portion  is  used  for  its  carbonic 
acid  gas  (CO2),  and  part  for  its  magnesia.  We  are  also  informed  that 
some  calcined  dolomite  has  been  used  by  the  paper  mills.  As  the  San 
Benito  and  Monterey  dolomite  has  been  found  to  contain  the  proper 
proportions  of  lime  and  magnesia,  it  can  replace  an  artificial  mixture 
of  calcined  limestone  and  magnesite  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  from 
wood  pulp.  Dolomite  is  also  sometimes  used  as  a  flux  in  metal 
smelting. 

The  production  of  dolomite  for  the  year  1918  amounted  to  24,560 
tons,  valued  at  $79,441,  and  came  from  a  total  of  7  quarries  in  4  coun- 
ties, distributed  as  follows : 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Inyo 

14,390 

4,900 

5,000 

270 

$32,056 

25,950 

Monterey                                 _      _       __ 

San  Benito              -            -  -  _  _ 

20,625 

San  Bernardino 

810 

Totals 

24,560 

$79,441 

Amount  and  value  of  the  output  of  dolomite,  annually,  have  been 
as  follows: 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

1915 _      _  _  • 

4,192 
13,313 
27,911 
24,560 

$14,504 

1916 

46,566 

1917 

66,416 

1918 

79,441 

Totals_ ___ 

69,976 

$206,927 

STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  119 

FELDSPAR. 

Bibliography:    Eeport    XV.     Bulletin    67.    U.    S.    Bur.    of    M., 
Bull.  92. 

Feldspar  was  produced  in  four  counties  during  1918,  to  the  amount  of 
4,132  tons,  valued  at  $22,061.  The  output  of  Riverside  County  was  used 
mainly  in  cement  manufacture,  its  potash  content  being  recovered  as  a 
by-product. 

Feldspar  production  only  dates  back  to  1910  in  California.  The 
mineral  is  a  constituent  of  many  rocks,  but  can  only  be  commercially 
produced  from  pegmatites  where  the  crystals  are  large  and  quite  free 
from  impurities.  The  open-cut  method  of  mining  this  material  is  com- 
monly used.  Manufacturers  of  enamel  wares  and  pottery  have  pre- 
viously bought  most  of  the  better  grades  of  feldspar  produced.  Small 
quantities  are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  glass  and  scouring  soaps,  and 
the  more  impure  material  is  utilized  as  chicken  grit,  in  making  various 
brands  of  roofing,  and  in  other  ways.  Various  experiments  have  been 
made  with  the  potash  feldspars  in  the  attempt  to  extract  their  potash 
content  for  use  in  fertilizers.  Some  recent  developments  along  these 
lines  are  enumerated  under  Potash.  The  most  successful  of  these  has 
been  accomplished  through  the  medium  of  cement  manufacture,  and 
recovery  of  the  potash  as  a  by-product. 

^"The  requirements  of  the  pottery  trade  demand  that  in  general  the  percentage  of 
free  quartz  associated  with  the  feldspar  used  for  this  purpose  shall  not  exceed  20  per 
cent  in  the  ground  product,  and  certain  potters  demand  a  spar  which  is  nearly  pure, 
containing  probably  less  than  5  per  cent  of  free  quartz.  In  order  to  be  profitably 
worked  in  most  feldspar  mines  between  one-fourth  and  one-half  of  the  total  material 
that  must  be  excavated  should  contain  less  than  20  per  cent  of  free  quartz.  Fresh- 
ness of  the  feldspar,  though  desirable,  is  not  essential. 

"A  factor  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the  mining  of  pottery  spar  is  the  quantity 
of  iron-bearing  minerals  (black  mica,  hornblende,  garnet,  black  tourmaline,  etc.) 
present  and  the  manner  in  which  these  minerals  are  associated  with  the  feldspar. 
The  requirements  of  the  pottery  trade  demand  that  the  spar  be  nearly  free  from  these 
minerals.  In  order  that  a  deposit  may  be  worked  profitably  these  minerals,  if  present 
in  any  appreciable  quantity,  must  be  so  segregated  in  certain  portions  of  the  deposit 
that  they  can  be  separated  from  the  spar  without  much  more  hand  sorting  and  cobbing 
than  is  necessary  anyway  in  the  separation  of  the  highly  feldspathic  material  from 
that  which  is  highly  quartzose  or  rich  in  muscovite.  The  presence  here  and  there 
of  minute  flakes  of  white  mica  (muscovite)  is  characteristic  even  of  the  highest 
grades  of  commercial  feldspar,  and  this  mineral  is  not  injurious  except  in  so  far  as 
it  is  exceedingly  diflScult  to  pulverize  the  thin,  flexible  mica  plates  to  a  fineness  equal 
to  that  required  in  the  feldspar,  and  it  is  therefore  necessary  in  mining  to  separate 
carefully  as  much  of  the  muscovite  as  possible  from  the  spar. 

"Recently  potash  feldspars  have  been  sought  as  a  source  of  potash  salts  and  also 
by  reason  of  their  potash  content  for  incorporation  in  so-called  complete  fertilizers. 
For  such  purposes  the  prices  paid  are  generally  less  than  for  pottery  feldspar  of  first 
and  second  grade,  and  if  such  use  of  feldspar  is  found  practicable  the  quantities 
required  will  be  far  in  excess  of  those  heretofore  annually  required  by  the  pottery 
industries.  To  supply  such  a  demand  pegmatite  deposits  must  be  of  large  size  and 
very  favorably  located  with  respect  to  transportation  facilities  and  market. 

"The  requirements  for  extraction  of  potash  and  for  use  in  fertilizer  are  a  high 
potash  content  and  convenience  of  location.  The  presence  of  quartz  and  of  iron- 
bearing  and  other  minerals  in  small  quantities  is  of  no  significance.  Both  white  and 
black  mica  are  potash-bearing  minerals  and  therefore  not  wholly  undesirable. 

"Almost  any  coarse,  undecomposed  granite  pegmatite  is  adapted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  roofing  materials  and  poultry  grit,  but  these  products  command  such  low 
prices  that  they  can  be  marketed  only  under  very  favorable  conditions." 


iKatz,  F.  J.,  Feldspar  In  1916:  U.   S.  Geol.   Surv.,  Mln.  Res.  of  U.  S„  1916.  Part  II.  p.  175,   1917. 


120  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

The  1918  output  in  California  was  distributed  by  counties,  as  follows : 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Monterev                                         — - .- _»_—«__ »_ 

700 

2,288 

700 

444 

$3,800 

Riverside                                                       _  _  _      _ 

11,733 

San  Diego 

3,600 

Tulare              -      _                         _____    

2,928 

Totals 

4.132 

$22,061 

Total  amount  and  value  of  feldspar  production  in  California  since 
the  inception  of  the  industry  are  given  in  the  following  table,  by  years : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1910 

760 
740 
1,382 
2,129 
3,530 
1,800 

$5,720 
4,560 
6,180 
7,850 

16,565 
9,000 

1916 __. 

1917 

1918   

2,630 

11,792 

4,132 

$14,350 

1911    

46,411 

1912 

22,061 

1913 

Totals 

1914     _-_ 

28,895 

$132,692 

1915 

Bibliography : 


FLUORSPAR. 

Bulletin  67. 


Fluorspar  is  used  as  a  flux  in  steel  and  iron  smelting,  and  in  the  pro- 
duction of  aluminum.  It  is  also  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  hydro- 
fluoric acid,  glass,  porcelain,  enamels  and  sanitary  ware. 

i"The  market  for  the  bulk  of  the  fluorspar  sold  in  the  United  States  depends  on 
the  steel  industry  and  the  demand  fluctuates  with  the  rise  and  fall  in  the  production 
of  steel.  Gravel  spar  is  consumed  as  a  flux  in  basic  open-hearth  steel  furnaces  and 
to  a  smaller  extent  in  other  metallurgical  operations.  In  both  1914  and  1915  the 
sales  of  gravel  spar  constituted  between  83  and  84  per  cent  of  the  total  marketed 
output  of  domestic  fluorspar,  and  in  1916  it  was  nearly  86  per  cent.  Fluorspar  is 
used  also  as  a  flux  in  iron  blast  furnaces,  iron  foundries,  and  in  gold,  silver,  copper, 
and  lead  smelters;  in  the  manufacture  of  fluorides  of  iron  and  manganese  for  steel 
fluxing  and  of  sodium  fluoride  for  wood  preservations  ;  in  the  manufacture  of  glass, 
enameled,  and  sanitary  ware,  and  of  hydrofluoric  acid;  in  the  electrolytic  reflning  of 
antimony  and  lead;  and  in  the  production  of  aluminum.  Other  miscellaneous  uses 
of  fluorspar  that  have  been  reported  are  as  a  bonding  for  constituents  of  emery  wheels, 
for  carbon  electrodes,  in  the  extraction  of  potash  from  feldspar,  and  in  the  recovery 
of  potash  in  Portland  cement  manufacture.  The  last  use  depends  on  the  suitabflity 
of  calcium  fluoride  as  a  reagent  for  increasing  the  volatilization  of  potassium  salts 
from  the  clinker  and  the  regeneration  of  the  reagent  from  the  dust  collected.^" 

In  California,  deposits  have  been  reported  in  Los  Angeles,  Mono, 
Riverside,  and  San  Bernardino  counties,  but  up  to  1917  no  commercial 
production  had  resulted.  As  the  1918  output  came  from  a  single  oper- 
ator in  Riverside  County,  the  amount  and  value  are  concealed  under  the 
Unapportioned  item.  It  is  reported  that  there  will  be  some  production 
from  Los  Angeles  County  in  1919. 


iBurchard,  E.  F..  Fluorspar  and  cryolite  in  1916:  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv..  Min.  Res.  of  U.  S,.  1916.  Part  II, 
p.    315.   1917. 

2Teesdale,  C.  H.,  Use  of  fluorides  in  wood  preservation:  Wood  Preserving,  vol.  3,  No.  4;  vol.  4.  No.  1. 
(Reprint.    9   pp.) 

•Treanor,  John,  Potash  from  cement  at  the  Riverside  Portland  Cement  Co.:  Met.  and  Chem.  Bng., 
June    15.    1917,    pp.    701-703. 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


121 


FULLER'S  EARTH. 

Bibliography :  Bulletin  38.     U.  S.  Bur.  of  M.,  Bull.  71. 

Fuller's  earth  production  in  California  during  the  year  1918 
amounted  to  37  tons,  valued  at  $333,  as  compared  with  220  tons  valued 
at  $2,180  in  1917. 

This  material  is  soft  and  friable,  and,  in  general,  resembles  a  clay, 
but  is  non-plastic.  It  has  no  definite  mineralogical  composition,  and  its 
commercial  value  is  determined  by  its  physical  properties,  i.  e.,  texture, 
and  filtering  and  absorbent  properties. 

In  California,  fuller's  earth  is  used  in  clarifying  both  refined  mineral 
and  vegetable  oils,  although  its  original  use  was  in  fulling  wool,  as  the 
name  indicates.  Production  has  mainly  come  from  Calaveras  and 
Solano  counties.  Deposits  have  also  been  found  in  Riverside,  Fresno 
and  Kern  counties. 

It  was  first  produced  commercially  in  this  state  in  1899,  and  the  total 
amount  and  value  of  the  output  since  that  time  are  as  follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1899       

620 
500 

1,000 
987 
250 
500 

1,344 

440 

100 

50 

459 

$12,400 

3,750 

19,500 

19,246 

4,750 

9,500 

38,000 

10.500 

1,000 

1,000 

7,385 

1910 

340 
466 
876 
460 
760 
692 
110 
220 
37 

$3,820 
5,294 

1900   

1911 

1901       

1912 

6,500 

1902    

1913 . 

3,700 

1903       

1914 

5,928 

1904       

1915     _ 

4,002 

1905 

1916 

550 

1906     

1917 

2,180 

1907   

1918 

333 

1908 

1909 

Totals _ 

10,211 

$159,338 

GEMS. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  XIV,  XV.    Bulletins 
37,  67. 

Accounting  for  the  production  of  gems  in  California  is  somewhat 
unsatisfactory,  owing  to  the  widely  scattered  places  at  which  stones  are 
gathered  and  marketed  in  a  very  small  way.  The  following  table  shows 
the  production,  by  counties,  of  rough  uncut  materials  during  1918 : 


County 

Value 

Kind 

Butte 1 

Los  Angeles j 

>  ^$650  . 

Diamonds. 

Beach  stones  (jasper  and  chalcedony). 

Riverside 

Quartz  crystals. 

San  Bernardino '— 

Bloodstone  and  blue  chalcedony. 

Tulare  

Chrysoprase. 

*Oombined  to  conceal  output  of  single  operator  In  each. 


122 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


For  the  first  time  in  many  years,  there  was  no  production  reported 
of  tourmalines  from  San  Diego  County  in  1918. 

California  tourmalines  are  decidedly  distinctive  in  coloring  and 
*fire'  as  compared  to  foreign  stones  of  this  classification.  The  colors 
range  from  deep  ruby  to  pink,  and  various  shades  of  green;  also  more 
recently  a  blue  tourmaline  has  been  found. 

Two  of  our  California  gem  stones,  kunzite  and  benitoite,  are  not 
found  elsewhere  in  the  world;  and  these,  each  in  but  a  single  locality 
here:  the  former  in  the  Pala  Chief  Mine  in  San  Diego  County,  and 
the  latter  in  the  Dallas  Mine  in  San  Benito  County. 

Californite,  or  'California  jade,'  is  a  gem  variety  of  vesuvianite, 
and  is  green  or  white  in  color. 

Some  rhodonite  has  been  mined  in  Siskiyou  County,  and  used  for 
decorative  purposes,  its  value  being  included  in  the  marble  figures. 

Diamonds  have  been  found  in  a  number  of  localities  in  California; 
but  in  every  case,  they  have  been  obtained  in  stream  gravels  while 
working  them  for  gold.  The  principal  districts  have  been :  Volcano  in 
Amador  County;  Placerville,  Smith's  Flat  and  others  in  El  Dorado 
County;  French  Corral,  Nevada  County;  Cherokee  Flat  and  Yankee 
Hill,  Butte  County;  Gopher  Hill  and  upper  Spanish  Creek,  Plumas 
County.  The  most  productive  district  of  recent  years  has  been  Chero- 
kee in  Butte  County. 

There  was  some  chrysoprase  produced  in  Tulare  County  in  1918. 

The  value  of  the  total  gem  production  in  California  annually  since 
the  beginning  of  commercial  production  is  as  follows: 


Tear 

Value 

Tear 

Value 

1900       

$20,500 
40,000 
162,100 
110,500 
136,000 
148,500 
497,090 
232,642 
208.950 
193,700 
237,475 

1911 

$51,824 

1901                     _         _      - 

1912 

23,050 

1902 

1913 

13,740 

1903 

1914 

3,970 

1904 

1915        -      -      _      - 

3,565 

1905 

1916 

4,752 

1906 

1917 

3,049 

1907 

1918 

650 

1908 

Total___ _ 

1909 

$2,092,057 

1910  __ 

GRAPHITE. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XIII,  XIV,  XV.     Bul- 
letin 67.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res.  1914,  Pt.  II. 

Graphite  has  been  produced  from  time  to  time  in  the  state,  coming 
principally  from  Sonoma  and  Los  Angeles  counties.     It  is  difficult  for 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  123 

these  deposits,  which  are  not  high  grade,  to  compete  with  foreign  sup- 
plies which  go  on  the  market  almost  directly  as  they  come  from  the 
deposit.  Low-grade  ores  are  concentrated  with  considerable  difficulty 
and  the  electric  process  of  manufacturing  artificial  graphite  from  coal 
has  been  perfected  to  such  a  degree  that  only  deposits  of  natural 
graphite  of  a  superior  quality  can  be  exploited  with  any  certainty  of 
success. 

According  to  a  recent  report  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  *'at 
present  prices,  miners  in  this  country  who  are  working  disseminated 
flake  deposits  must  depend  on  their  No.  1  and  2  flake  for  their  profit. 
Graphite  dust  is  merely  a  by-product  and  is  salable  only  at  a  low  price. 
Improved  methods  of  graphite  milling,  adopted  during  the  last  year, 
promise  to  increase  largely  the  production  of  flake  of  better  grade. '  * 

On  account  of  its  infusibility  and  resistance  to  the  action  of  molten 
metals,  graphite  is  very  valuable.  It  is  also  largely  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  electrical  appliances,  of  'lead*  pencils,  as  a  lubricant,  as 
stove  polish,  paints,  and  in  many  other  ways.  Amorphous  graphite, 
commonly  carrying  many  impurities,  brings  a  much  lower  price.  For 
some  purposes,  such  as  foundry  facings,  etc.,  the  low-grade  material 
is  satisfactory.  The  price  increases  with  the  grade  of  the  material  until 
the  best  quality  crystalline  variety,  ordinarily  ranges  as  high  as  $200 
per  ton.  Because  of  the  increased  demand  during  the  war  period  for 
brass  and  crucible  steel,  the  requirement  for  graphite  crucibles  grew 
rapidly,  thus  boosting  the  price  of  flake  graphite  to  above  $400  per  ton 
for  Ceylon  lumps.  The  coarser  flakes  are  necessary  for  crucibles,  as 
they  help  to  bind  the  clay  together  in  addition  to  their  refractory 
service.  Since  the  close  of  hostilities  in  Europe,  prices  have  declined 
to  nearly  the  pre-war  level ;  and  imports  are  being  resumed  from  Ceylon, 
Canada  and  Madagascar. 

Among  the  newer  uses  for  graphite  is  the  prevention  of  formation 
of  scale  in  boilers.  The  action  is  a  mechanical  one.  Being  soft  and 
slippery,  the  graphite  prevents  the  particles  of  scale  from  adhering  to 
one  another  or  to  the  boiler  and  they  are  thus  easily  removed. 

Occurrence  of  graphite  has  been  reported  at  various  times  from 
Calaveras,  Fresno,  Imperial,  Los  Angeles,  Mendocino,  San  Bernardino, 
San  Diego,  Siskiyou,  Sonoma  and  Tuolumne  counties. 

During  1918  production  was  reported  from  Los  Angeles  County. 
It  was  concentrated  from  a  disseminated  ore,  and  was  used  for  paint, 
foundry  facing,  and  lubricants.     As  there  was  but  a  single  operator, 


124 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


the  figures  are  concealed  under  the  *Unapportioned'  item.     The  pro- 
duction, by  years,  has  been  as  follows: 


Year 

Pounds 

Value 

1901             _ — 

128,000 
84.000 

$4,480 

1902        _ 

1,680 

1903                 - 

1913                  ^        _                       _ _  _       . 

2,500 

25 

1914 

1915  _ _ - 

1916    

29,190 

* 
* 

2,335 

1917        _  _                _ _ 

* 

1918        -             _______ 

* 

- - 

Totals   

243,690 

$8,520 

"Concealed  under  TTnapportioned,'  on  account  of  a  single  producer. 


GYPSUM. 

Bibliography :  Reports  XIV,  XV.     Bulletins  38,  67. 

Gypsum  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the  state,  and  is  produced 
to  a  considerable  extent,  to  supply  the  fertilizer  manufacturers  and 
also  those  of  plaster  and  cement. 

The  action  of  gypsum  as  a  fertilizer  is  indirect^ ;  it  is  not  a  food  for 
plants,  but  it  is  supposed  to  act  on  the  double  silicate  of  magnesia  and 
potash  in  the  soil,  freeing  the  magnesia  and  potash,  so  that  they  become 
available  as  plant  food.  Its  use  is  believed  to  be  beneficial  only  if 
these  elements  are  present  in  the  soil,  and  its  application  to  some  soils 
would  therefore  be  of  no  advantage. 

Some  authorities  hold  that  land  plaster  tends  to  make  nonporous 
clay  soils  more  pervious  to  water  and  to  make  sandy  soils  less  pervious. 
Ground  gypsum  has  an  affinity  for  water  and  will  draw  moisture  from 
the  atmosphere,  so  it  keeps  moisture  in  the  soil  and  is  of  value  to  the 
farmer  who  is  starting  grain  and  grass  crops,  as  it  holds  moisture 
where  the  roots  of  the  small  plants  most  need  it.  The  use  of  ground 
gypsum  or  land  plaster  in  a  dry,  hot  season  may  draw  enough  moisture 
from  the  atmosphere  to  save  a  crop  from  damage  by  drought.  Land 
plaster  is  employed  to  neutralize  the  black  alkali  that  forms  in  many 
of  the  soils  of  arid  regions,  as  in  parts  of  California,  Nevada  and  Utah. 

Land  plaster  may  be  applied  to  the  soil  by  drilling,  or  scattered  in  the 
hill,  or  it  may  be  sowed  broadcast,  in  quantities  ranging  from  200  to 
500  pounds  to  the  acre. 

In  the  calcined  form  as  plaster  of  Paris,  gypsum  plays  a  very 
important  part  in  surgical  work.  It  is  also  widely  used  in  building 
operations,  as  a  hard- wall  plaster,  as  plaster  board,  etc. 


»U.  S.  G.  S.  Press  Bulletin  No.  374,  July,  1918,  p.  4. 


. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


125 


During  1918,  producers  in  Riverside  and  San  Bernardino  counties 
took  out  a  total  of  19,695  tons,  valued  at  $37,176,  being  a  decrease  from 
the  30,825  tons,  valued  at  $56,840  in  1917.  Approximately  20%  of 
the  1918  output  was  utilized  as  'land  plaster.* 

Total  annual  production  of  gypsum  in  California  since  such  records 
have  been  compiled  by  this  Bureau  is  as  follows: 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1887       

2,700 
2,500 
3,000 
3,000 
2,000 
2,000 
1,620 
2,446 
5,158 
1.310 
2.200 
3.100 
3.663 
2.522 
3,875 
10,200 
6,914 

$27,000 
25,000 
30,000 
30,000 
20,000 
20,000 
14,280 
24,584 
51,014 
12,580 
19,250 
23,600 
14,950 
10,088 
38,750 
53,500 
46,441 

1904 _ 

8.350 
12,850 
21,000 

8.900 
34,600 
30,700 
45,294 
31,457 
37.529 
47.100 
29.734 
20.200 
33,384 
30,825 
19,695 

$56,592 

1888       

1905 

54,500 

1889          

1906  __ 

69,000 

1890       — 

1907 

57,700 

1891                    

1906  _ „__ 

155,400 

1892                    -      _„ 

1909  ___ 

138,176 

1893       

1910 _ 

129,152 

1894 

1911 

101,475 

1895 

1912 

117,388 

1896 

1913 

135,050 

1897 

1914 

78,375 

1898 

1915 

48,953 

1899 

1916 

59,533 

1900 

1917                         

56,840 

1901 

1918 

37,176 

1Q(¥> 

Totals 

1903 

469,826 

$1,756,347 

INFUSORIAL  and  DIATOMACEOUS  EARTHS. 
Bibliography.  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletins  38,  67. 

Infusorial  and  diatomaceous  earths — sometimes  called  tripolite — are 
very  light  and  extremely  porous,  chalk-like  materials  composed  of  pure 
silica  (chalk,  being  calcareous)  which  have  been  laid  down  under  water 
and  consist  of  the  remains  of  microscopical  infusoria  and  diatoms.  The 
former  are  animal  remains,  and  the  latter  are  from  plants.  The  prin- 
cipal commercial  use  of  this  material  is  as  an  absorbent ;  and  it  is  also 
I  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  scouring  soap  and  polishing  powders, 
and  in  making  some  classes  of  refractory  brick.  It  is  a  first-class 
non-conductor  of  heat,  where  high  temperatures  are  employed,  such 
as  around  steel  and  gas  plants  and  power  houses.  In  such  cas^s,  it  is 
built  in  as  an  insulating  layer  in  furnace  walls.  In  Germany,  under 
the  name  'kieselguhr,'  it  was  used  as  an  absorbent  for  nitroglycerine 
in  the  early  manufacture  of  dynamite. 

As  a  nonconductor  of  heat  it  has  been  used  alone  or  with  other 
materials  as  a  covering  for  boilers,  steam  pipes,  and  safes  and  in  fire- 
proof cements.  It  is  used  largely  by  paint  manufacturers  as  a  wood 
filler.  Boiled  with  shellac  it  is  made  into  records  for  talking  machines. 
It  has  been  used  for  absorbing  liquid  manures  so  that  they  could  be 


126 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


utilized  as  fertilizers,  and  as  a  source  of  silica  in  making  water-glass 
as  well  as  in  the  manufacture  of  cement,  tile  glazing,  artificial  stone, 
ultra-marine  and  other  pigments  of  aniline  and  alizarine  colors,  paper 
filling,  sealing  wax,  fireworks,  hard-rubber  objects,  matches,  and  papier- 
mache,  and  for  solidifying  bromine. 

The  most  important  deposits  in  California  thus  far  known  are  located 
in  Monterey,  Orange,  San  Luis  Obispo,  and  Santa  Barbara  counties. 
The  Santa  Barbara  material  is  diatomaceous  and  is  of  a  superior  qual- 
ity. Infusorial  earth  is  also  found  in  Fresno,  Kern,  Los  Angeles, 
Plumas,  San  Benito,  San  Bernardino,  San  Joaquin,  Shasta,  Sonoma, 
and  Tehama  counties. 

During  1918,  five  quarries  operating  in  Monterey  and  Santa  Barbara 
counties,  produced  a  total  of  35,963  tons,  valued  at  $189,459,  which  is  a 
material  increase  over  the  24,301  tons,  valued  at  $127,510  in  1917. 

The  first  recorded  production  of  these  materials  in  California  occurred 
in  1889 ;  total  amount  and  value  of  output,  to  date,  are  as  follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1889 

39 

$1,335 

1905                            

3,000 

2,430 

2,531 

2,950 

50O 

1,843 

2,194 

4,129 

8,645 

12,840 

12,400 

15,322 

24,301 

35,963 

$15,000 

1890 

1906       -     "            -    — 

14,400 

1891 

1907 

28,948 

1892 

1908 

32,012 

1893 

50 
51 

2,000 
2,040 

1909 

3,500 

1894 

1910 

17,617 

1895 

1911 

19,670 

1896  _ 

1912 

17,074 

1897 

5 

20O 

1913 

35,968 

1898 

1914 

80,350 

1899 

1915 

62,000 

1900 __ 

1916 — 

80,649 

1901 

1917       — 

127,510 

1902 

422 
2,703 
6,950 

2,532 

16,015 

112,282 

1918       

189,459 

1903 

Totals 

1904 

139,268 

$860,561 

LIMESTONE. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38.     Oregon  Agr.  College  Extension  Bulletin  305. 

Limestone  was  produced  in  ten  counties  during  1918,  to  the  amount 
of  208,566  tons,  valued  at  $456,258.  This  amount  does  not  include 
the  limestone  used  in  the  manufacture  of  cement  nor  of  lime  for  build- 
ing purposes,  but  accounts  for  that  utilized  as  a  smelter  flux,  for  glass 
and  sugar  making,  and  in  other  chemical  and  manufacturing  processes 
(including  fertilizers,  roofing  preparations,  whiting  for  paint,  terrazzo 
and  for  CO2). 

In  agriculture,  the  chief  reason  for  the  use  of  lime  is  now  recognized 
to  be  that  of  correcting  soil  acidity.     Lime  is  stated  to  be  especially 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


127 


necessary  for  the  proper  development  of  the  bacteria  in  the  nodules  on 
the  roots  of  the  legumes  such  as  the  clovers  and  alfalfa.  It  will  also 
combine  with  some  of  the  plant  food  materials  already  in  the  soil  to 
make  them  more  readily  available,  and  will  supply  any  lack  of  calcium 
as  a  plant  food  that  may  exist  in  the  soil.  To  some  extent,  certain 
forms  of  lime  will  make  heavy  soils  more  friable,  thus  aiding  aeration, 
cultivation  and  drainage.  It  may  be  applied,  ground,  in  either  the 
burned  or  un-burned  form,  or  as  hydrated  lime. 


Hauling  limestone,  near  Shingle  Springs,  El  Dorado  County. 

Distribution  of  the  1918  output  is  as  follows : 


County 

Tons 

Value 

El  Dorado 

96,673 

10,852 
3,790 
7,132 

45,671 
8,400 
3,064 

32,984 

$218,120 

San  Bernardino  _    _  - - 

13,323 

Santa  Barbara  

1^830 

Santa  Cruz 

15,313 

Shasta  __             - 

72,410 

Tulare _ 

32,400 

Tuolumne __ 

5,600 

Alameda,  Kern,  Inyo*  __ 

80.262 

Totals 

208,566 

$456,258 

'Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


In  the  early  reports  of  this  Bureau  values  for  lime  and  limestone 
were  not  segregated.     The  following  tabulation  shows  the  total  com- 


128 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


bined  value  of  such  material  since  records  for  the  state  were  first 
compiled,  in  1887,  to  date : 


Tear 

Value 

Te« 

Value 

1887  

1888  

$368,750 
381,750 
416,780 
350,000 
300,000 
300.000 
301,276 
337.975 
457.784 
332,617 
291,465 
278,558 
343,760 
315.231 
434,133 
460.140 
582,268 

1904  

1905  

$658,956 
878.647 

1889 

1906   

925,887 

1890  

1907 

1,162,417 

1891  

1906 

676,507 

1892  

1909 

997,745 

1893  

1910  

1,058,891 

1894  

1911 

843,778 

1895  

1912  

1.034.688 

1896  - 

1913 

803.002 

1897  

1914     -   -  -   -    

896.376 

1898  

1915 

442.592 

1899  

1916  „ 

1918        

608,208 

1900  

667,776 

1901  

917,573 

1902 

Total 

1903 _  

$18,825,530 

LITHIA. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  IV,  XIV.     Bulletins 
38,  67. 

Lithia  mica,  lepidolite  (a  silicate  of  lithium  et  al.)  utilized  in  the 
manufacture  of  artificial  mineral  water,  fireworks,  glass,  etc.,  has  been 
mined  in  San  Diego  County  since  1899,  except  between  1905  and 
1915.  Some  amblygonite,  a  lithium  phosphate,  has  also  been  obtained 
from  pockets  associated  with  the  gem  tourmalines.  In  1918,  the  yield 
of  lepidolite  was  4,111  tons,  valued  at  $73,998,  and  was  utilized  in  glass 
manufacture. 

Lithia  mica  total  production  in  the  state  has  been  as  follows : 


Year 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1899 

124 
440 
1,100 
822 
700 
641 
25 

$4,600 
11,000 
27,500 
81.880 
27.800 
25,000 
276 

1906 

1900 -_ 

1915 

1916 

1917 

1918 

91 

71 

880 

4,111 

$1,365 

1901 

1,065 

1902 

8,800 

1903 

73,998 

1904 

1905  -    .- -. 

Totals— 

5,005 

$212,784 

STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  129 

MICA. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  IV.     Bulletins  38,  67. 

No  commercial  production  of  mica  has  recently  been  reported  in 
California.     Production  in  previous  years  has  been  as  follows : 


Tear 


Tons 


Ytlua 


1902  

50 
50 
50 

$2,500 
3,800 

1903 _ 

1904 _ 

3000 

Totals   

150 

$9,300 

i"The  different  uses  to  which  mica  is  put  depend  on  its  form — whether  in  sheets  or 
in  powder.  Sheet  mica  is  used  in  the  electrical  industry,  for  glazing,  and  to  some 
extent  for  other  purposes.  Ground  mica  is  used  chiefly  in  the  decorative  trades  and 
in  insulation. 

"Sheet  mica  finds  its  greatest  use  in  the  electrical  industry,  where  an  insulating, 
noninflammable  material  is  necessary.  It  is  used  in  sheets  and  as  washers  and  disks 
in  dynamo-electric  machinery,  electric-light  sockets,  spark  plugs,  insulators,  guards 
in  rheostats,  fuse  boxes,  and  telephones,  flexible  cloth  and  tape,  covered  with  mica, 
find  varied  uses  in  electrical  apparatus.  Sheet  mica  is  used  for  glazing  the  fronts 
of  stoves  and  for  making  lamp  chimneys  and  lamp  shades.  It  is  also  used  in  spec- 
tacles, automobile  shields,  phonograph  diaphragms,  in  windows  where  glass  would 
be  broken,  and  in  lantern  transparencies. 

"Ground  mica  is  used  for  decoration  in  wall  paper,  to  which  it  gives  luster  and 
brightness ;  in  fancy  paints,  ornamental  tiles,  concrete,  rubber  goods,  pipe  and  boiler 
coverings,  insulating  compounds,  fireproof  paints  and  coverings,  patent  roofing  mate- 
rial, molded  mica  (ground  mica  mixed  with  shellac),  and  calico  printing;  as  absorbent 
for  nitroglycerin  in  the  manufacture  of  'mica  powder,'  in  tempering  steel ;  to  a  large 
extent  as  a  lubricant  for  wooden  bearings,  or,  mixed  with  oil,  as  a  lubricant  for  metal 
bearings;  and  as  a  filler  for  various  products.  Tar  and  other  roofing  papers  are 
coated  with  coarsely  ground  mica  to  prevent  sticking  when  they  are  rolled  for  shij)- 
ment.  A  possible  value  of  ground  mica  as  a  chemical  source  of  potash  salts  is  indi- 
cated in  a  recent  Geological  Survey  report.^ 

"It  is  understood  that  sheet  mica  has  come  to  be  of  importance  as  a  war  mineral 
through  its  use  abroad  as  windows  in  masks  worn  for  defense  against  asphyxiating 
gases,  and  for  other  uses  where  a  transparent,  noninfiammable,  nonshattering  mate- 
rial is  necessary,  as  in  automobile  goggles  and  in  windows  for  armored  cars." 

MINERAL  PAINT. 
Bihliograpliy.  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  38. 

Mineral  paint  was  produced  in  California  in  1918  from  Amador, 
Colusa,  San  Bernardino  and  Stanislars  counties,  amounting  to  728  tons, 
valued  at  $4,738.  This  is  an  increase  from  the  tonnage  and  value  of 
1917.  Three  producers  in  Stanislaus  County  reported  a  total  of  498 
tons  worth  $3,088,  and  the  balance  came  from  single  producers  in  each 
of  the  other  counties  named.  The  material  from  Colusa  and  San 
Bernardino  was  hematite  and  jasper,  while  that  from  Amador  and 
Stanislaus  was  red  and  yellow  ochre,  respectively.  The  Calaveras  and 
Stanislaus  yellow  ochre  is  the  equal  of  any  of  the  imported  ochres. 

Besides  the  above-named  counties,  deposits  of  mineral  paint  are 
located  in  the  following:  Kern,  Kings,  Lake,  Los  Angeles,  Nevada, 
Riverside,  and  Sonoma. 


iSchaller,  W.   T.,  Mica  in  1916:  U.   S.   Geol.   Surv.,   Min.   Res.   of  U.   S.,   1916.  p.   304    1917. 
2Butler,   B.    S..   Potash  in  certain  copper  and  gold  ores,   with  a  note  on  muscovite  of  George  Steiger: 
U.   S.   Geol.    Survey  Bull.   620.   pp.    227-235,    1916. 
9—47382 


130 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNU. 


The  first  recorded  production  of  this  material  in  the  state  was  in  the 
year  1890.  The  output  showing  annual  amount  and  value,  since  that 
time,  is  given  herewith: 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1890 

40 

22 

25 

590 

610 

750 

395 

578 

653 

1,704 

529 

325 

589 

2.370 

270 

754 

$480 

880 

750 

26,795 

14.140 

8.425 

5.540 

8,165 

9.698 

20,294 

3,993 

875 

1,533 

3,720 

1,985 

4,025 

1906 

250 
250 
335 
305 
200 
186 
300 
303 
132 
311 
643 
520 
728 

$1,720 

1891     

1907 

1,720 

1892 

1908 

2,250 

1893            

1909  _-_ _ __ 

2,325 

1894 

1910 

2,040 

1895 

1911 _ 

1.184 

1896  

1912  _„ 

1,800 

1897   

1913 

1,780 

1898       

1914 

847 

1899       

1915 

1,756 

1900 

1901 

1916 __„. 

1917 

1918 

3,960 
2,700 

1902 

4.738 

IQftS 

Totals  

1904 

14.667 

$140,118 

1905 

The   half-hour  geyser  at  Myrtledale   Farm,   near   Calistoga, 
Napa    County. 


I 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


131 


MINERAL  WATER. 
BihUography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  VI,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.     U.  S.  G.  S,  Water  Supply  Paper  338. 

A  widespread  production  of  mineral  water  is  shown  annually  in 
California.  These  figures  refer  to  mineral  water  actually  bottled  for 
sale,  or  for  local  consumption.     Water  from  some  of  the  springs  having 


I 


The   two-hour   geyser  at   Light's  Winery,   Calistoga,   Napa  County. 

a  special  medicinal  value  brings  a  price  many  times  higher  than  the 
average  shown,  while  in  some  cases  the  water  is  used  merely  for  drink- 
ing purposes  and  sells  for  a  nominal  figure.  Health  and  pleasure 
resorts  are  located  at  many  of  the  springs.  The  waters  of  some  of  the 
hot  springs  are  not  suitable  for  drinking,  but  are  very  efficacious  for 
bathing.     From  a  therapeutic  standpoint,  California  is  particularly  rich 


132 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


in  mineral  springs.  The  counterparts  of  practically  any  of  the  world- 
famed  spas  of  Europe  or  the  eastern  United  States  can  be  found  here. 

An  interesting,  recent  development  is  the  obtaining  of  'geyser' 
wells  at  Calistoga,  in  Napa  County,  by  drilling  into  the  thermal-water 
strata  underlying  that  part  of  the  Napa  Valley.  There  are  at  least  four 
wells  so  erupting  at  the  present  time.  They  spout  in  true  geyser 
fashion,  and  their  periods  vary  from  10  minutes  to  2  hours,  each  follow- 
ing its  own  schedule  rather  closely. 

Commercial  production  by  counties,  for  1918,  was: 


County 

Gallons 

Value 

Butte                                                        — 

3,900 
10,938 
30,376 
87,067 

110,481 
92,512 

601,500 
73,117 
13,025 

501,750 
11,440 
83,220 

189,465 

$1,680 

Calaveras                    _      _      -      _  

6,069 

Contra  Costa                         __  _ 

3,038 

Lake                                        - - 

15,006 

Los  Angeles                                 -    -- - 

15,540 

59,620 

60,150 

Santa  Barbara    _      _      _    _- 

97,162 

Santa  Clara    ^      _ 

1,678 

Siskiyou    _      _         -  _         _    

50,175 

Solano    -_-      __-      _- 1 

2,722 

Sonoma       ^      _      _  _  -                                                      -      - 

36,050 

Colusa,    Humboldt, 
Diego,  San  Luis  Ob 

Marin,    Riverside, 
ispo,  Shasta,  Trini 

San    Benito,    San 
tv* 

26,760 

Totals 

1,808,791 

$375,650 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


Amount  and  value  of  mineral  water  produced  in  California  since 
1887  are  given  herewith: 


Year 

GaUong 

Value 

Year 

GaUoni 

Value 

1887 

618,162 

1,112,202 

808.625 

258,722 

334,553 

331,875 

383,179 

402,275 

701,397 

808,843 

1,508,192 

1,429,809 

1,338,537 

2.456,115 

1,555,328 

1,701.142 

2.056,340 

$144,368 
252,990 
252,241 

89,786 
139,959 
162,019 

90,667 
184,481 
291,500 
337,434 
345,863 
213.817 
406,691 
268,607 
559,057 
612.477 
558,201 

1904 

1905 

2,430,320 
2,194.150 
1,585,690 
2,924,269 
2,789.715 
2.449.834 
2.335,259 
2.637,669 
2.497.794 
2,350,792 
2,443,572 
2,274,267 
2,273,817 
1,942,020 
1,808,791 

$496,946 

1888 

538,700 

1889 

1906 

478,186 

1890     

1907    

544,016 

1891                 _      - 

1908       

560,507 

1892 

1909 

465,488 

1893 _ 

1910    

522,009 

1894 

1911       -  -      - 

590,654 

1895 

1912 _ 

529,384 

1896 

1913 

599,748 

1897 

1914       

476,169 

1898 

1915 

467,738 

1899 

1916 - 

1917 

1918    

410,112 

1900 

340,566 

1901 

375,650 

1002 

Totals- 

1903     - 

52,743,255 

$12,306,031 

STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


133 


PHOSPHATES. 

Bibliography:  Bulletin  67. 

No  commercial  production  of  phosphates  has  been  recorded  from  Cali- 
fornia, though  occasional  pockets  of  the  lithia  phosphate,  amblygonite, 
Li  (AlF)  PO4,  have  been  found  associated  with  the  gem  tourmaline 
deposits  in  San  Diego  County.  Such  production  has  been  classified 
imder  lithia. 


PUMICE  and  VOLCANIC  ASH. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIV,  XV.     Bul- 
letin 38  (see  'Tufa'). 

The  production  of  pumice  and  volcanic  ash  for  the  year  1918  amounted 
to  2,114  tons,  valued  at  $28,669,  and  came  from  Humboldt,  Imperial 


Brand  &  Stevens'  Pumice,  Imperial  County.  Thirty-ton  dump  of  pumice,  selected 
for  grinding,  awaiting  shipment.  Shows  average  size  of  material  obtained.  Photo  by 
Emile  Huguenin. 

and  Siskiyou  counties.  This  is  a  considerable  increase  over  the  525 
tons,  valued  at  $51,295,  in  1917 ;  and  is  due  to  shipments  from  a  deposit 
near  Mt.  Shasta  in  Siskiyou  County,  and  also  to  an  increased  output 
from  Imperial  County.  The  material  from  Imperial  and  Siskiyou 
counties  is  the  vesicular,  block  pumice,  these  being  practically  the  only 
localities  in  the  United  States  producing  this  class  of  rock  at  the  present 
time ;  and  is  stated  to  have  found  a  ready  market.  The  Lipari  Islands, 
Italy,  have  in  the  past  been  the  principal  source  of  supply  of  block 


134 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


pumice.  This  form  is  used  largely  for  abrasive  purposes;  and  is  also 
being  utilized  in  fire-brick,  and  as  an  insulating  filler  in  the  walls  of 
refrigerators  and  cold-storage  plants.  There  are  other  known  deposits 
of  pumice  in  California,  in  Inyo,  Madera,  and  Mono  counties.  The 
material  from  Humboldt,  Inyo  and  Madera  counties  is  the  fine-grained, 
volcanic  ash,  or  tuff  variety.  It  is  employed  in  making  scouring  soaps 
and  polishing  powders. 

Commercial  production  of  pumice  in  California  was  first  reported  to 
the  State  Mining  Bureau  in  1909,  then  not  again  until  1912,  since 
which  year  there  has  been  a  small  annual  output,  as  indicated  by  the 
following  table: 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1909 „ 

50 

$500 

1915 

1916 

1917 

1918 

380 
1.246 

525 
2,114 

$6,400 

18,092 

5,295 

28,669 

1910 

1911 

1912 

100 

3,590 

50 

2,500 
4,500 
1.000 

1913 

Totals 

1914 

8,055 

$66,956 

PYRITE. 

BiUiography :  Bulletin  38.  Min.  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  114,  pp.  825,  840. 

Pyrite  is  mined  for  use  in  the  manufacture  of  sulphuric  acid,  which 
in  turn  was  being  used  in  large  quantities  during  the  past  four  years 
in  the  preparation  of  explosives.  Experiments  are  being  made  as  to 
the  effect  of  sulphur,  sulphuric  acid,  and  SO2  in  the  correction  and 
fertilization  of  alkali  soils.  Two  properties  in  Alameda  County  and 
one  each  in  Shasta  and  El  Dorado  reported  a  total  production  in  1918  of 
128,329  tons,  valued  at  $425,012,  which  is  an  increase  over  1917. 

This  does  not  include  the  vast  quantities  of  pyrite  which  are  other- 
wise treated  for  their  valuable  metal  contents.  Some  sulphuric  acid  is 
annually  made  as  a  by-product  in  the  course  of  roasting  certain  ton- 
nages of  Mother  Lode  auriferous  concentrates  for  their  precious-metal 
values.  California  has,  available,  supplies  of  sulphide  ores  suitable 
for  the  manufacture  of  sulphuric  acid  far  in  excess  of  the  local  require- 
ments ;  but  the  excess  acid  if  made  here  is  not  of  sufficient  value  per  ton 
to  pay  the  freight  rates  to  Eastern  markets.  One  of  our  large  copper 
smelters  here  could,  alone,  flood  the  market  with  sulphuric  acid  from 
its  copper  ores  roasted. 


[ 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


135 


The  total  recorded  pyrite  production  in  California  to  date  is  as 
follows : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Toni 

Value 

1898 

6,000 

5,400 

3,642 

4,578 

17.525 

24,311 

15,043 

15,503 

46,689 

82.270 

107.081 

457,867 

$30,000 

28,620 

21,133 

18,429 

60,306 

94,000 

62,992 

63,958 

145,895 

251,774 

610,335 

1,389,802 

1910 

42,621 

54.225 

09.872 

79,000 

79,267 

92,462 

120,525 

111,825 

128,329 

$179,862 
182,954 
203,470 
218,537 
230.058 
293.148 
372.969 
823,704 
425,012 

1899 

1911 

1900 

1912 

1901 

1913 

1902 

1914 

1903  .„ 

1915 

1904 

1916    — 

1905 

1917 

1918 

1906 

1907 

Totals 

1908 

1,563,535 

$5,207,008 

1909 

SILICA— SAND  and  QUARTZ. 

Bibliography.    State   Mineralogist   Reports   IX,   XIV.     Bulletins 

38,  67. 

We  combine  these  materials,  because  of  the  overlapping  roles  of  vein 
quartz  which  is  mined  for  use  in  glass  making  and  as  an  abrasive,  and 
that  of  silica  sand  which,  although  mainly  utilized  in  glass  manufacture, 
also  serves  as  an  abrasive. 

A  portion  of  the  tonnage  of  vein  quartz  in  California  in  1916  and 
1917  was  employed  in  the  preparation  of  ferro-silicon  by  the  electric 
furnace.  Some  also  was  utilized  as  a  foundry  flux.  In  1918,  a  portion 
of  the  silica  sold  (both  sand  and  quartz)  was  used  in  glazes  for  porcelain, 
pottery  and  tile;  and  some  of  the  sand  for  the  preparation  of  silicate 
of  soda. 

The  production  of  silica  in  1918  amounted  to  23,257  tons,  valued  at 
$88,930,  from  13  properties  in  Amador,  El  Dorado,  Monterey,  Placer, 
Riverside,  and  Tulare  counties : 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Amador                 »                                  -         _         _  _ 

13,747 

1,400 

204 

7,906 

$61,724 

Riverside                                                                 -      - 

4.800 

Tulare                                          -    _  -            _          _-__.___ 

1,143 

Monterey,  El  Dorado,  Placer*  -                              _ 

21,263 

Totals                                          -                                       _    _. 

23,257 

S88.930 

•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Of  the  above  total  7,685  tons  were  of  vein  and  boulder  quartz,  and 
15,522  tons,  sand. 

Practically  all  the  glass  sand  produced  in  California  occurs  as  such 
and  needs  no  grinding.     There  are  various  deposits  of  quartz  which 


136 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


could  be  utilized  for  glass  making,  but  to  date  there  has  been  only  a 
small  commercial  production  of  this  class  of  material. 

Glass  sand  has  been  produced  in  the  following  counties  of  the  state : 
Alameda,  Amador,  El  Dorado,  Los  Angeles,  Monterey,  Orange,  Placer, 
Riverside,  San  Joaquin,  and  Tulare.  The  chief  producing  centers  have 
been  Amador,  Monterey  and  Los  Angeles  counties.  The  industry  is  of 
limited  importance,  so  far,  because  of  the  fact  that  much  of  the  avail- 
able material  is  not  of  a  grade  which  will  produce  first-class  colorless 


Total  silica  production  in  California  since  the  inception  of  the  indus- 
try, in  1899,  is  shown  below,  being  mainly  glass  sand: 


Tear         ! 

f 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1899 

3,000 
2,200 
5,000 
4,500 
7,725 

10.004 
9,257 
9,750 

11.065 
9.255 

12,259 

$3,500 

2,200 
16.250 
12.225 

7.525 
12,276 

8,121 
13.375 

8.178 
22.045 
25,517 

1910 

1911 

19,224 
8,620 
13,075 
18,618 
28,538 
28,904 
20,880 
19.376 
23,257 

$18,265 

8.672 

15.404 

21899 

1900 

1901 

1912  

1902 

1913 

1903 

1914 

22.688 
34  322 

1904 

1915 

1905   .  -   -  _ 

1916 

1917 

48.908 
41.166 
88.930 

1906  _ 

1907 _„_ 

1918 

1908 

Totals 

1909 

264,507 

$431,466 

SOAPSTONE  and  TALC. 
Bibliography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIV,  XV.     Bul- 
letins 38,  67. 

Talc — also  called  soapstone  or  steatite — occurs  widely  distributed 
throughout  California.  It  is  found  as  a  hydration  product  in  the  alter- 
ation of  magnesian  silicates,  and  is  often  associated  with  serpentine  and 
actinolite.  But  few  deposits  have  been  proven  of  especial  value  to 
date,  although  there  is  an  undoubted  future  for  this  branch  of  the 
mineral  industry  in  the  state.  Deposits  of  high-grade  Avhite  talc,  the 
equal  of  the  imported  Italian  article,  are  now  being  developed  in  Inyo 
and  San  Bernardino  counties.  It  is  used  in  making  paper,  rubber,  toilet 
articles,  soap,  rice  polishing,  lubricants,  tiling,  etc.,  and  for  such  is 
ordinarily  ground  to  about  200  mesh  before  marketing.  In  this  condi- 
tion it  brings  $15  per  ton  and  upwards,  depending  on  quality.  Com- 
mercially, the  higher  grades  are  called  talc,  and  the  lower,  soapstone. 
Soapstone  blocks  are  used  in  fireless  cookers,  electrical  switchboards, 
laboratory  table  tops  and  laundry  tubs;  and  the  crushed  material  is 
used  in  roofing  papers. 

There  was  a  total  output  in  1918  of  11,760  tons,  valued  at  $85,534, 
from  four  producers  in  Inyo  County,  two  in  San  Bernardino,  and  one 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


137 


each  in  Amador,  El  Dorado,  and  Tulare.    This  is  an  increase  over  the 
1917  output. 


County 

Tona 

Value 

Inyo 

9,635 

430 

1,695 

$72,549 
4,210 
8,775 

S&n  Bernardino       -  _  -  - 

Amador,  El  Dorado,  and  Tulare* 

Totals            -    

11,760 

$85,534 

♦Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

Production  has  been  intermittent  in  the  state  since  1893,  as  shown 
in  the  following  table : 


T~, 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

TaliM 

1893 „ 

400 

$17,750 

1907    

1894 

1908       

3 
33 

740 

$48 
280 

1895    

25 

375 

1909 

1896       

1910 

7,260 

1897 



1911 ^ 

1898 

1912 

1,750 
1,850 
1,000 
1,663 
1,703 
5.267 
11,760 

7,350 
6,150 

1899    — _ 



• 

1913 

1900    —1 

1914 

4500 

1901 - 

10 

14 

219 

228 

300 

119 

288 

10,124 

2,315 

3,000 

1915  -I-I 

14,750 

1902  _>_ 

1916 

9,831 

1903  - 

1904 

1917  -. 

1918  _         _        

45.279 
85,534 

1905 

1906 

Totals         

26,465 

$214,953 

STRONTIUM. 

Bibliography.  Bulletin  67.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Bull.  540;  660-1. 

Production  of  strontium  minerals  in  California  in  1918  amounted  to 
2,900  tons,  worth  $33,000,  from  San  Bernardino  County,  being  both 
celestite  (SrS04),  and  the  carbonate,  strontianite  (SrCO.s).  The  first 
recorded  commercial  output  of  strontium  minerals  in  California  was  in 
1916.  The  occurrence  of  the  carbonate  is  particularly  interesting  and 
valuable,  as  it  appears  to  be  the  first  considerable  deposit  of  commercial 
importance  so  far  opened  up  in  the  United  States.  Shipments  reported 
as  averaging  80%  SrCOs  have  been  made.  The  deposit  is  associated 
with  deposits  of  barite. 

In  addition  to  the  Imperial  County  occurrence,  noted  in  our  1916 
bulletin,  celestite  is  also  found  near  Calico  and  Ludlow,  and  in  the 
Avawatz  Mountains  in  San  Bernardino  County,  but  as  yet  undeveloped. 
The  above  output  was  converted  to  the  nitrate. 


138  MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

It  is  estimated  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  that  prior  to  1914 
about  2,000  tons  of  strontium  nitrate  was  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
flares,  or  Costen  and  Bengal  lights  and  fireworks.  The  demand  has 
since  increased  considerably.  Previously,  the  nitrate  was  imported 
from  Germany,  England  and  Sicily. 

There  is  undoubtedly  a  good  future  for  the  strontium  minerals  in 
California,  if  the  beet-sugar  factories  will  take  up  their  use,  as  has 
been  done  in  Germany.  Strontia  is  much  more  efficient  and  satisfac- 
tory in  that  process  than  lime,  as  it  is  stated  to  give  an  additional 
recovery  of  6% -8%  over  lime.  In  Germany  and  Russia,  about  100,000 
tons  of  strontium  hydroxide  were  used  annually  in  the  sugar  industry. 

Of  the  two  minerals,  strontianite  is  the  more  desirable,  but  scarcer. 
Celestite  is  more  abundant,  and  can  be  sold  in  large  quantities  at  about 
$14-$18  per  ton  at  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  The  carbonate  during  1918 
brought  from  $40-$50  per  ton,  crude,  depending  on  quality.  Celestite 
is  found  with  limestones  and  sandstones  and  is  sometimes  associated 
with  gypsum.  Strontianite  is  also  found  with  limestone,  but  associated 
with  barite  and  calcite. 

SULPHUR. 
BihUography:  State  Mineralogist  Reports  IV,  XIII,  XIV.     Bul- 
letins 38,  67. 

There  has  not  been,  for  many  years,  any  commercial  output  of  native 
sulphur  in  California,  although  this  mineral  has  been  found  to  some 
extent  in  Colusa,  Imperial,  Inyo,  Kern,  Lake,  Mariposa,  San  Bernar- 
dino, Sonoma,  Tehama,  and  Ventura  counties.  Operations  were  begun 
late  in  1917,  on  a  property  in  Inyo  County,  and  some  material  stated 
to  assay  40%  sulphur  was  mined.  Difficulties  were  encountered  in 
refining  it,  so  that  only  a  small  production  was  made,  but  none  shipped. 

At  the  Elgin  mine,  near  Wilbur  Springs,  in  Colusa  County,  a  small 
tonnage  of  sulphur  was  prepared  toward  the  close  of  1918,  but  not 
shipped  that  year.  The  orebody  is  stated  to  assay  52.6%  S.  over  a 
width  of  22  feet.  Two  retorts,  steam-heated,  have  been  installed,  with 
a  capacity  of  4500  pounds  of  ore,  each,  per  charge.  There  is  a  large 
body  of  material,  in  a  zone  at  least  75  feet  wide,  impregnated  with 
native  sulphur  crystals,  which  can  be  cheaply  mined,  if  certain  mechan- 
ical difficulties  of  melting  and  cleaning  can  be  economically  overcome. 

Sulphur  was  produced  at  the  famous  Sulphur  Bank  mine,  in  Lake 
County,  during  the  years  1865-1868  (inc.)  totaling  941  tons,  valued 
at  $53,500 ;  following  which  the  property  became  more  valuable  for  its 
quicksilver.     The  Elgin  mine,  noted  above,  is  a  similar  occurrence. 


STATISTICS  OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


139 


About  37,000  tons  of  sulphur  per  year  are  imported  to  the  United 
States  from  Japan,  most  of  it  coming  in  through  the  port  of  San 
'rancisco.  The  principal  sources  in  the  United  States  are  the  strati- 
led  deposits  in  Louisiana  and  Texas,  extraction  being  accomplished  by 

unique  system  of  wells  with  steam  pipes.  It  is  stated  that  the  three 
irge  companies  operating  there  are  capable  of  producing  more  than 
,000,000  tons  annually  in  excess  of  our  normal  consumption  in  the 
fnited  States,  which  averages  about  600,000  tons. 

Formerly  considerable  sulphur  was  imported  from  Italy,  the  Palermo 

jtrict  being  the  principal  producer.  The  industry  is  under  the  control 
\t  the  government,  and  exports  are  under  license.  According  to  a  recent 
Consular  Report:^ 

"Prices  range  from  $55  to  $57  for  crude,  to  $73  to  $85  for  refined.  As  American 
sulphur  is  cheaper  than  Sicilian,  it  is  believed  that  should  freights  become  normal 
vlt  will  be  possible  to  import  American  sulphur  into  Italy." 

'Consular  Report,  Annual  Series,  No.  8c,  Nov.  29,  1918,  p.  8. 


140 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA, 


CHAPTER  SIX. 

SALINES. 

Under  this  heading  are  included  borax,  common  salt,  soda,  potash, 
and  other  alkaline  salts.  The  first  two  have  been  produced  in  a  num- 
ber of  localities  in  California,  more  or  less  regularly  since  the  early 
sixties,  although  the  State  Mining  Bureau  kept  no  annual  records  of 
output  previous  to  1887.  Except  for  a  single  year's  absence,  soda  has 
had  a  continuous  production  since  1894.  Potash,  and  magnesium  chlor- 
ide and  sulphate  have  only  recently  been  added  to  the  commercial  list, 
while  the  nitrates  are  still  prospective. 

Our  main  i^esources  of  salines  are  the  lake  beds  of  the  desert  regions 
of  Imperial,  Inyo,  Kern,  Los  Angeles,  San  Bernardino,  San  Luis 
Obispo,  and  Siskiyou  counties,  and  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  following  tabulation  shows  amount  and  value  of  the  saline  min- 
erals produced  in  California  during  the  years  1917  and  1918,  with 
increase  or  decrease  in  value  for  1918,  as  compared  with  the  previous 
year: 


1917 

1918 

Inerease+ 

Substance 

Tons 

Value 

Tons 

Value 

Decrease— 
Value 

Borax        _         _      

109,944 

1,064 

129,022 

227,825 

24.505 

$2,561,958 

34,973 

4,202,889 

584,373 

928,578 

88,772 

1,008 

49,381 

212,076 

20,447 

$1,867,908 

29,955 

6,808,976 

806,328 

855,423 

$694,050— 

Magnesium  salts 

5,018— 

Potash              

2,606,087+ 

Salt                

221,955-1- 

Soda                    

73,155— 

Totals 

$8,312,771 

$10,368,590 

Net  increase 

$2,055  819 

BORAX. 

Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  III,  X,  XII,  XIII,  XIV, 
XV.     Bulletins  24,  67. 

Borax  was  first  discovered  in  California  in  the  waters  of  Tuscan 
Springs  in  Tehama  County,  January  8,  1856.  Borax  Lake,  in  Lake 
County,  was  discovered  in  September  of  the  same  year  by  Dr,  John  A. 
Veatch.  This  deposit  was  worked  in  1864-1868,  inclusive,  and  during 
that  time  produced  1,181,365  pounds  of  refined  borax.  This  was  the 
first  commercial  output  of  this  salt  in  the  United  States,  and  California 
is  still  today  the  only  American  producer  of  borax. 

Production  from  the  dry  lake  or  'play a'  deposits  of  Inyo  and 
^an  Bernardino  counties  began  in  1873 ;  but  it  was  not  until  1887  that 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


141 


the  borax  industry  was  revolutionized  by  the  discovery  of  the  colemanite 
beds  at  Calico  in  San  Bernardino  County.  These  have  since  been 
worked  out,  and  the  present  output  comes  from  similar  beds  in  Inyo 
and  Los  Angeles  counties.  The  colemanite  deposits  of  Ventura  County 
are  at  present  unworked,  owing  to  lack  of  transportation  facilities. 

During  1918,  there  was  reported  .a  total  output  of  88,772  tons,  valued 
at  $1,867,908,  compared  with  109,944  tons,  valued  at  $2,561,958,  in 
1917.     The  decrease  was  due  largely  to  freight  car  shortage. 

Value  of  the  state's  borax  output  since  1887  is  shown  in  the  following 
table : 


Tear 

Yalu* 

Year 

Valm 

$116,689 

196,636 

145,473 

480,152 

640,000 

838,787 

593.292 

807,807 

595,900 

675,400 

1,080,000 

1,153.000 

1,139,882 

1,013,251 

982,380 

2,234,994 

661,400 

1904    

$698,810 

loo/ 

1QQQ 

1905  

1,019,158 

loon 

1906   

1,182,410 

1907  

1.200,913 

1908  

1,117,000 

1QQ9 

1909  

1,163,960 

lono 

1910  _- 

1,177,960 

1  on>i 

1911   

1,456.672 

1912  

1,122,713 

IfiQA 

1,491,530 

ion? 

1914  - 

1,483.500 

1898  _-- 

1915  - 

1,663.521 
2.409.375 
2,561,958 
1,867,908 

1899  — - 

1900  

1916  

1917 

1901  

1902  - 

1918  

T'nfnl                                          

$34,972,431 

1903    

1 

MAGNESIUM  SALTS. 

Magnesium  chloride  is  an  important  item  in  certain  chemical  uses, 
and  in  the  preparation  of  Sorel  cement  in  laying  magnesite  floors. 
Previous  to  1915,  Germany  was  the  principal  source  of  this  chloride, 
which  source  has  since,  of  course,  been  cut  off.  For  this  reason  experi- 
ments have  been  made  to  prepare  it  by  acid  solution  from  magnesite, 
which  is  so  abundant  in  California.  Some  of  the  salt  companies  began 
its  commercial  preparation  in  1916,  from  the  residual  bitterns  obtained 
during  the  evaporation  of  sea  water  for  its  sodium  chloride. 
^  In  1917  and  1918,  in  addition  to  the  chloride,  some  magnesium  sul- 
[phate,  or  "technical  epsom  salts,"  was  also  made  at  the  salt  plant  of 
the  Oliver  Chemical  Company  in  Alameda  County.  This  was  sold  to 
cotton  goods  manufacturers.  The  chloride  sold  for  $20-$40  per  ton, 
land  the  sulphate  at  $80-$90  per  ton. 

!  After  operating  an  experimental  plant  during  1918,  resulting  in  a 
Jmoderate  output  of  magnesium  chloride,  the  Whitney  Chemical  Com- 
Ipany  in  San  Mateo  County  have  since  (January,  1919)  completed  a 


142  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

well-equipped  plant  capable  of  producing  250  to  300  tons  per  month. 
They  report : 

"There  is  sufficient  demand  to  Iteep  us  working  to  capacity  if  we  can  land  tlie 
goods  at  the  large  distributing  centers,  which  are  mainly  east  of  the  Mississippi,  on 
a  proper  competitive  basis.  With  the  publication  of  proper  commodity  rates  this 
can  be  accomplished,  otherwise  a  large  proportion  of  the  trade  will  seek  their 
supplies,  as  they  did  before  the  war,  of  foreign  manufacturers." 

The  1918  output  totaled  1,008  tons,  valued  at  $29,955,  from  Alameda, 
Los  Angeles  and  San  Mateo  counties,  compared  with  1,064  tons  and 
$34,973  in  1917.  The  chloride  was  utilized  in  Sorel  cement  for  flooring 
and  stucco. 

Bitterns  made  at  plants  on  San  Francisco  Bay  carry  23  to  86  parts  of 
magnesium  per  thousand,  or  2.3%  to  8.6%  magnesium. ^ 

Metallic  magnesium  is  prepared  electrolytically,  utilizing  generally  an 
electrolyte  of  magnesium  chloride  and  an  alkaline  chloride.  Its  com- 
monest known  use  is  in  the  powdered  form  for  flash  lights  in  photog- 
raphy.    Its  largest  recent  use  has  been  in  the  making  of  war  munitions.- 

It  did  not  enter  as  an  integral  part  into  the  explosives  or  arms,  but 
small  quantities  were  put  in  shrapnel  shells,  that  observers  and  gunners 
might  know  exactly  where  the  shells  were  bursting.  By  day  the  burning 
magnesium  gives  a  dense  pure-white  cloud  of  magnesium  oxide,  and  at 
night  a  dazzling  white  light.  Larger  quantities  were  used  in  aerial 
bombs  and  rockets  for  lighting  up  the  country  at  night.  Magnesium  has 
as  yet  found  but  a  limited  direct  use  as  a  metal.  Magnalium,  an  alloy 
of  aluminum  containing  about  2%  of  magnesium  and  small  percentages 
of  other  metals,  is  stated  to  be  used  in  automobiles  and  aeroplanes. 
The  possibilities  for  further  important  developments  in  this  direction 
are  promising. 

NITRATES. 

Bibliography :  Report  XV.     Bulletin  24.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Press  Bul- 
letin No.  373,  July,  1918. 

Nitrates  of  sodium,  potassium  and  calcium  have  been  found  in  various 
places  in  the  desert  regions  of  the  state,  but  no  deposit  of  commercial 
value  has  been  developed  as  yet.  It  is  hoped  that  a  closer  search  may 
some  day  be  rewarded  by  workable  discoveries.  At  present  the  principal 
commercial  source  of  nitrates  is  the  Chilean  saltpeter  (sodium  nitrate) 
deposits  in  South  America. 

The  fixation  of  atmospheric  nitrogen  electrically  has  been  accom- 
plished successfully  in  Germany  and  Scandinavia.  The  possibilities  of 
cheap  hydro-electric  power  in  California  make  the  subject  one  of  intense 
interest  to  us,  as  we  have  also  the  natural  raw  materials  and  chemicals 
to  go  with  the  power.  Sodium  and  potassium  cyanides  can  be  made  by 
fixation  of  atmospheric  nitrogen  electrically. 


^U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.  Bur.  Soils,  Bull.  94,  p.  66,  1913. 
^U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res.  1915,  Pt.  I,  p.  740. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  143 

POTASH. 

«       Bibliography:  Report  XV.     Bulletin  24.     U.  S.  G.  S.,  Min.  Res. 
m  1913,  1914,  1915.     Senate  Doc.  No.  190,  62d  Congress,  2d  Ses- 

H  sion.     Mining  &  Sci.  Press,  Vol.  112,  p.  155 ;  Vol.  114,  p.  789. 

[^  Potash  production  began  commercially  in  California  ic  1914,  with  a 
I  small  yield  from  kelp.  Considerable  money  has  been  spent  incident  to 
i  developing  deposits  of  potash-bearing  residues  and  brines  in  the  old 
lake  beds  of  the  desert  regions,  and  production  there  is  now  on  a  com- 
mercial basis  at  two  plants  on  Searles  Lake.  The  imports  of  potash 
salts  and  fertilizers  from  Germany  previous  to  the  European  war  had 
an  annual  value  of  several  millions  of  dollars,  and  their  cassation  made 
a  domestic  production  imperative. 

The  normal  pre-war  price  of  $35  to  $40  per  ton  for  high-grade  agri- 
cultural salts  has  been  succeeded  by  figures  of  several  times  those 
amounts;  until  in  April,  1916,  the  chloride  was  nominally  quoted  at 
$425  per  ton  and  the  sulphate  from  $350  to  $400  per  ton.  The  approx- 
imate average  selling  price  in  1917  at  point  of  shipment  for  potash 
materials  was  $4.26*  per  unit,  corresponding  to  $426  per  ton  of  100% 
K2O.  In  1918,  the  prices  received  by  California  operators  ranged  from 
$3.80  to  $4.90  per  unit,  with  the  average  about  $3.90. 

As  to  the  outlook  for  1919,  the  War  Trade  Board  on  January  25th^ 
announced : 

"That  it  has  received  authentic  and  ofRcial  information  from  the  French  High 
<'ommission  in  the  United  States  to  the  effect  that  France  will  be  unable,  at  least 
until  April,  to  ship  potash  from  the  potash  mines  of  Alsace.  These  advices  further 
indicate  that  for  the  next  few  months  practically  the  entire  potash  output  of  the 
Alsatian  mines  will  be  urgently  required  for  agricultural  purposes  in  France.  It  is 
the  view  of  the  War  Trade  Board,  based  upon  this  information,  that  even  under 
the  most  favorable  circumstances,  no  potash  from  Alsace  could  be  available  in  the 
United  States  for  agricultural  uses  before  June,  1919,  and  that,  therefore,  it  will 
be  necessary  that  the  United  States  rely  entirely  upon  its  domestic  potash  production 
for  the  coming  spring  season." 

During  1918,  a  total  of  49,381  tons  of  potash-bearing  materials  of  all 
grades  was  produced  in  California,  valued  at  $6,808,976.  This  is  more 
than  50%  increase  in  value  over  that  of  the  1917  output.  The  decrease 
in  the  tonnage  figures  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Riverside  County  output 
was  reduced  to  a  40%  K2O  sulphate  instead  of  the  cement-mill  dust 
being  marketed  unrefined  carrying  only  11%  K2O. 

The  1918  product  was,  in  part,  refined  potassium  chloride  and  sul- 
phate, kelp  ash  and  dried  kelp,  varying  in  potash  content  from  59% 
K2O  for  the  refined  salts  down  to  14%  in  the  dried  kelp ;  in  part,  refined 
sulphate  and  treater  dust  from  several  of  the  cement  mills ;  and  in  part, 
concentrated  salts  from  the  brine  of  Searles  Lake.  Small  tonnages  of 
refined  sulphate  were  also  made  from  bitterns  at  two  of  the  salt  plants 
on  San  Francisco  Bay.     The  yield  from  Los  Angeles,  San  Diego,  and 


^Commerce  Reports,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Commerce,  No.  21,  1919,  p.  385. 


144 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Santa  Barbara  counties  is  from  the  operations  of  kelp  plants,  excepj 
that  a  small  portion  of  the  1918  product  in  San  Diego  was  made  directlj 
from  feldspar. 

The  bulk  of  this  output  was  utilized  in  fertilizer  preparations;  bi 
the  product  of  at  least  one  of  the  kelp  plants  was  further  refined 
converted  to  the  form  of  the  nitrate  for  explosives  manufacture, 
small  portion  was  converted  into  potassium  permanganate.     Some  potf 
sium  iodide,  also,  was  made  experimentally ;  also  some  ammonia. 

Other  uses  for  potash  salts  besides  those  noted  above,  are  in  tl 
manufacture  of  the  best  liquid  soap  and  some  higher-grade  cake  soaps^ 
of  some  finer  grades  of  glass,  and  in  matches.  The  chemical  require-1 
ments  include  tanning,  dyeing,  metallurgy,  electroplating,  photography,^ 
and  medicine.  ^ 

The  large  plant  of  the  American  Trona  Corporation  at  Trona,  on 
Searles  Lake,  San  Bernardino  County,  began  commercial  operation  in- 
September,  1916,  and  is  shipping  crude  chloride  of  potash  to  Eastern 
fertilizer  works.  These  crude  salts  carry  the  equivalent  of  from  20% 
to  38%  K2O.  A  second  plant  at  Scales  Lake,  built  by  the  Solvay  Pro- 
cess Company,  began  commercial  operation  in  1917.  Their  product  is 
a  65%  KCl. 

In  the  cement  mill  of  the  Riverside  Portland  Cement  Company,  the 
fine  dust  from  ball  and  tube  mills  is  collected  by  a  Cottrell  electrical 
fume  precipitator,  the  material  showing  an  approximately  11%  potash 
content.  Sulphate  is  prepared  from  this.  Other  cement  plants,  in  San 
Bernardino  and  Santa  Cruz  counties,  commenced  recovery  of  potash  in 
1918.  The  Santa  Clara  product  was  'potash  char,'  obtained  by  burn- 
ing slops  refuse  from  a  distillery.  That  from  Sacramento  County  was 
leached  from  the  ash  dump  of  the  Sacramento  City  Incinerator. 

The  following  tabulation  shows  the  distribution  of  the  1918  output  of 
potash  in  California : 


County 

Product 

Equivalent 

%K20 

Tons 

Value 

Los  Angeles 

Chloride,     kelp     ash, 

permanganate _. 

Chloride,  sulphate  _— 
Chloride,  dried  kelp_- 
Dried  kelp  and  ash__. 

Chloride,   sulphate, 
distillery  slops  char 

25-50 
2(M4 
l(>-58.5 
18-39 

16-45 

2,380 
27,545 
10,392 

1,863 

7,201 

San  Bernardino 

$462,600 
3,428,443 

San  Diego  

1,578,874 

Santa  Barbara  

256,780 

Alameda,    Riverside,     Sacra- 
mento,   San   Mateo,    Santa 
Clara,  Santa  Cruz* 

1.082,279 

Totals ._. 

49,381 

$6,808,976 

•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


145 


The  annual  amounts  and  values  of  these  potash  materials,  since  their 
beginning  in  California,  are  shown  by  the  following  table : 


Tear 

Tons 

Valua 

1914 _ 

10 

1,076 

17,908 

129,022 
49.381 

$460 

1915             —    -^ -                          -            - 

19,391 
663.605 

1916 — 

1917 

4,202,889 

1918 

6.808,976 

Totals 

197,397 

$11,695,321 

SALT. 
Bibliography :  State  Mineralogist  Reports  II,  XII,  XIII,  XIV,  XV. 
Bulletin  24. 
Most  of  the  salt  produced  in  California  is  obtained  by  evaporating 
the  waters  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  plants  being  located  on  the  shores  of 


*-»*—- 

*^ 

^ 

■y  ^  -' 

Salt  stacks  at  plant  of  Oliver  Chemical  Company,  Alameda  County. 

San  Francisco  Bay,  at  Long  Beach,  and  on  San  Diego  Bay.  Additional 
amounts  are  derived  from  lakes  and  lake  beds  in  the  desert  regions  of 
the  state.  The  salt  production  of  San  Bernardino  County  is  derived 
from  deposits  of  rock  salt  which  are  worked  by  means  of  quarrying  and 
steam  shovels.  A  small  amount  of  valuable  medicinal  salts  is  annually 
obtained  in  Mono  and  Tehama  counties,  by  evaporation  from  mineral 
springs. 

Formerly  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  table  sail  consumed  in 
California  was  shipped  in  from  Eastern  points;  but,  at  present,  Cali- 
fornia salt  refineries  supply  not  only  our  own  needs  but  export  a  fair 
tonnage  to  other  markets. 

10-47382 


146 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OP  CALIFORNU. 


The  1918  output  amounted  to  212,076  tons,  valued  at  $806,328,  distrib- 
uted as  follows,  by  counties: 


County 

Tons 

Value 

Alameda 

180,132 
10,631 
26,434 

44,879 

$410,345 

San  Dieco                    _      -      _    _- 

61,717 

SaD  Mateo                          -       __ _- 

144,604 

Inyo,  Kern,  Los  Angeles,  Modoc,  Mono,  Monterey,  San  Ber- 
nardino, Solano*        -         _ 

189.662 

Totals                         -              _         _                       _       __    __ 

212,076 

$806,328 

•Combined  to  conceal  output  of  a  single  operator  in  each. 

The  above  returns  show  a  decrease  in  tonnage  with  an  increase  in 
value.  There  were  12  plants  operating  in  Alameda,  two  each  in  San 
Diego  and  San  Mateo,  and  one  in  each  of  the  other  counties  tabulated, 
a  total  of  540  men  being  employed. 

Amount  and  value  of  annual  production  of  salt  in  California  from 
1 887  to  date  is  shown  in  the  following  tabulation : 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Tear 

Tons 

Value 

1887 

28.000 

30.800 

21,000 

8,729 

20,094 

23.570 

50,500 

49,131 

53,031 

64,743 

67,851 

93,421 

82.654 

89,338 

126,218 

115,208 

102,895 

$112,000 

92,400 

63,000 

57,085 

90,303 

104.788 

213,000 

140,087 

150,576 

153,244 

157,520 

170,855 

149,588 

204,754 

366,376 

205.876 

211,365 

1904 

95,968 
77,118 
101.650 
88,063 
121.764 
155.680 
174.920 
173,332 
185,721 
204.407 
223.806 
169,028 
186.148 
227,825 
212,076 

$187,300 

1888       -             _    — 

1905 

141,925 

1889 

1906 - 

213,228 

1890 

1907 

310.967 

1891 _-    __ 

1908 

281.469 

1892                     _      _ 

1909 _- 

414.708 

1893 -_ 

1910 

395.417 

1894 

1911 _-.^-. 

324,255 

1895       _  _      _ 

1912 

383.370 

1896 

1913 

462.681 

1897 

1914  .__ _ 

f 83,553  j 

1898    

1915 

368,737  : 

1899 __— 

1916 - 

455,695  ! 

1900       

1917 

584,373  : 

1901 

1918    _  -           _-    -_ 

806,328 

1Qfl9 

Totals 

1903 

3,424,689 

■     $8,556,823- 

SODA. 

Bibliography.  State  Mineralogist  Reports  XII,  XIII,  XV.     Bul- 
letins 24,  67. 

The  production  of  the  carbonates  and  sulphate  of  sodium,  in  Cali- 
fornia in  1918  included :  both  the  bicarbonate  and  soda  ash  from  plants 
at  Owens  Lake,  and  the  natural  sulphate  from  the  Carrizo  Plains,  San 
Luis  Obispo  County.  The  total  tonnage  was  20,447,  valued  at  $855,423, 
the  bulk  of  which  came  from  the  three  plants  in  Inyo  County. 

These  'sodas'  were  used  in  the  manufacture  of  glass,  soap,  and 
paper,  as  well  as  washing  and  baking  soda,  also  in  sugar  refining. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL   PRODUCTION. 


147 


The  war  stimulated  the  chemical  industry  in  the  United  States  to 
produce  materials  that  were  formerly  imported  and  to  supply  them  to 
foreign  countries,  as  well  as  to  devise  new  uses  for  chemical  products, 
also  to  replace  more  expensive  by  less  expensive  chemicals.  Sodium 
compounds  have  replaced  potassium  compounds,  either  wholly  or  in  part, 
in  glass  and  soap  making,  in  photography,  in  match  making,  in  tanning, 


California  Alkali  Company's  soda  plant  at  Cartago,  Owens  Lake,  Inyo  County, 
Photo  by  Emile  Huguenin. 

and  in  the  manufacture  of  cyanide  for  extracting  gold  and  silver  from 
their  ores. 

The  total  output,  showing  amount  and  value  of  these  materials  in 
California  since  the  inception  of  the  statistical  records  of  the  State 
Mining  Bureau,  is  given  in  the  table  which  follows: 


Tear 

Tons 

Value 

Year 

Tons 

Value 

1894 

1,530 

1,900 

3,000 

5,000 

7,000 

10,000 

1,000 

8,000 

7,000 

18,000 

12,000 

15.000 

12,000 

$20,000 

47,500 

65,000 

110,000 

154,000 

250,000 

50,000 

400,000 

50,000 

27,000 

18,000 

22,500 

18,000 

1908 

9,600 

7,712 

8,125 

9,023 

7,200 

1,861 

6,522 

5,799 

10.593 

24,505 

20,447 

$14,400 

1895 —    

1909    _„ 

■  11,593 

1896     ._  _    .- 

1910 

1911 

1912 

1913 

1914 

1915 

1916       

11,862 

1897           _        __    

52,887 

1898 

1899 

37,094 
24,936 

1900    - 

115,396 

1901 

83,485 

1902 

264,825 

1903 

1917              

928,578 

1904    _ 

1918    

855,423 

100^ 

Totals 

1906 

212,817 

$3,632,479 

1907 

148  MINERAL  INDUSTRY  OF   CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  SEVEN. 
MINERAL  PRODUCTION   OF  CALIFORNIA  BY  COUNTIES. 

Introductory. 

The  state  of  California  includes  a  total  area  of  158,360  square  miles, 
of  which  155,980  square  miles  are  of  land.  The  maximum  width  is  235 
miles,  the  minimum,  148  miles;  and  the  length  from  the  northwest 
corner  to  the  southeast  corner  is  775  miles.  The  state  is  divided  into 
fifty-eight  counties.  Some  mineral  of  commercial  value  exists  in  every 
county,  and  during  1918  active  production  was  reported  to  the  State 
Mining  Bureau  from  fifty-six  counties  of  the  fifty-eight.  In  the  moun- 
tainous portions  of  the  state  are  largely  found  the  vein-forming  minerals. 
In  the  desert  regions  of  southeastern  California  ancient  lake  beds  afford 
supplies  of  saline  deposits.  Underlying  the  interior  valleys  of  the  cen- 
tral and  southern  portion  of  the  state  are  the  large  crude-oil  reservoirs. 
Building  stones  and  mineral  earths  of  all  descriptions  are  widely  distrib- 
uted throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  state. 

Of  the  first  ten  counties  in  point  of  total  output  for  1918,  five  (Kern, 
Orange,  Fresno,  Los  Angeles,  Santa  Barbara)  owe  their  position  mainly 
to  petroleum.  Kern,  due  to  its  oil,  leads  all  the  others  by  nearly  three 
times  the  total  of  Orange,  its  nearest  competitor.  Shasta  owes  its  rank 
to  copper,  gold,  silver,  zinc  and  pyrite;  San  Bernardino,  its  place  on 
account  of  potash,  tungsten,  cement  and  copper ;  Inyo,  mainly  to  borax, 
lead,  tungsten  and  soda;  and  the  next  five  counties,  Yuba,  Amador, 
Nevada,  Plumas,  Calaveras,  mainly  to  gold,  except  Plumas,  which  is 
mainly  copper  and  gold.  Twenty-four  counties  have  each  a  total  in 
excess  of  a  million  dollars,  for  1918.  Cement  is  an  important  item  in 
eight  of  these  counties. 

In  point  of  variety  and  diversity,  San  Bernardino  County  leads  all 
the  others  with  a  total  of  25  different  mineral  products  on  its  commercial 
list,  followed  by  Riverside  with  18,  Shasta  with  16,  Kern  with  15,  and 
Inyo  with  13. 

The  counties  with  their  mineral  resources,  production  for  1918,  etc., 
are  considered  in  detail  in  this  chapter. 


i 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION.  149 

Value  of  California    Mineral   Production,   by  Counties,  for   1918,   Arranged   in  the 
Order  of  Their   Importance. 

County                                                                 j  Value 

1.  Kern I  $63,410,685 

2.  Orange I  22.914.660 

3.  Fresno  i  19,876,625 

4.  Los  Angeles '  16,006,628 

5.  Santa  Barbara _  10,051.831 

6.  Shasta  ;  8.098,671 

7.  San  Bernardino 7,632,790 

8.  Inyo :  5,177,676 

9.  Tuba  3,844,885 

10.  Amador 3.452,640 

11.  Nevada   3.301,651 

12.  Plumas   3,092,694 

13.  Calaveras   2,794.452 

14.  Santa  Cruz 2.599,717 

15.  Ventura 2.186.311 

16.  Sacramento ''  2,102.597 

17.  San  Dieeo 1,942,150 

18.  Santa  Clara ^  1,759,568 

19.  Riverside  1,689,042 

20.  Napa  1.676.367 

21.  San  Benito  1,537,463 

22.  Solano  I  1,470.726 

23.  Contra  Costa |  1,324,251 

24.  Alameda  1,173,535 

25.  El  Dorado '.  959.286 

26.  Placer 903.520 

27.  Sisldvou  :  877,287 

28.  Butte ^  873.035 

29.  San  Luis  Obispo '  858,679 

30.  Trinity 707,524 

31.  Tuolumne 602,278 

32.  San  Joaquin  601,973 

33.  Sonoma 586.391 

34.  Tulare   527,40S 

35.  Stanislaus i  453,913 

36.  Del  Norte I  371,675 

37.  Mariposa ■  352,504 

38.  Sierra  !  331,501 

39.  Lake  '  215.876 

40.  San  Mateo 193.812 

41.  Marin  176.183 

42.  Tehama 157,591 

43.  Humboldt   i  141,954 

44.  Monterey  ;  119,687 

45.  Madera : I  114.327 

46.  Imperial  '  109,692 

47.  Mendocino 108,388 

48.  Glenn   89,699 

49.  Merced  74,&49 

50.  Mono    '  54,863 

51.  Yolo 21.215 

52.  San  Francisco 16,463 

53.  Colusa  16,400 

9,229 
8.220 


54.  Kings   

55.  Modoc 

56.  Lassen I  800 

57.  Alpine 

58.  Sutter . 


Total $199,753,837 


150 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


ALAMEDA. 
Area:  843  square  miles. 
Population:  359,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 

Alameda  County,  while  in  no  sense  one  of  the  'mining  counties,' 
comes  twenty-fourth  on  the  list  with  a  value  of  mineral  products  for 
1918  of  $1,173,535,  an  increase  from  the  1917  total,  which  was 
$1,138,723.  The  mineral  resources  of  this  county  include  asbestos, 
brick,  chromite,  clay,  coal,  limestone,  magnesite,  manganese,  pyrite,  salt, 
soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 


Amount 


Value 


Chromite  

Brick  and  tile 

Clay  (pottery)  

Manganese 

Pyrite 

Salt  

Stone,  miscellaneous 
Other  minerals* 


220  tons 


2,675  tons 

2,746  tons 

9,113  tons 

130,132  tons 


$14,600 

258,812 

3,850 

109,874 

45,565 
410,345 
311,320 

19,169 


Total  value  $1,173,535 


♦Includes  asbestos,  magnesium  salts,  potash,  and  limestone. 

ALPINE. 
Area:  776  square  miles. 
Population:  309  (1910  census). 

Alpine  has  in  the  past  shown  a  small  production  of  gold  and  silver, 
but  dropped  out  of  the  list  of  producing  counties  in  1914. 

This  county  lies  just  south  of  Lake  Tahoe,  in  the  high  Sierra  Nevada 
range  of  mountains.  Transportation  is  by  wagon  or  mule  back,  and 
facilities  in  general  are  lacking  to  promote  development  work  of  any 
kind. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  section  are  varied  and  the  country  has 
not  yet  been  thoroughly  prospected.  Occurrences  of  barium,  copper, 
gold,  gypsum,  lead,  limestone,  pyrite,  rose  quartz,  silver,  tourmaline, 
and  zinc  have  been  noted  here. 


AMADOR. 

Area :  601  square  miles. 

Population:  11,000  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 

The  value  of  Amador  County's  mineral  production  decreased  slightly 
from  $3,851,194  in  1917,  to  $3,452,640,  dropping  back  to  tenth  place  on 
the  list  of  counties  in  the  state  as  regards  total  value  of  mineral  sub- 
stances marketed.     This  was  due  to  a  decrease  in  gold  output. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


151 


Although  having  an  output  consisting  of  13  different  minerals,  the 
leading  product,  gold,  makes  up  over  94%  of  the  entire  total.  Amador 
led  the  state  in  gold  production  in  1915,  but  was  slightly  exceeded  in 
1917  by  Nevada  and  Yuba  counties,  and  by  Yuba  in  1918. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  county  include  asbestos,  brick,  chromite, 
clay,  coal,  copper,  gold,  lime,  quartz  crystals,  glass-sand,  sandstone, 
silver,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite  _ 

88  tons 
13.562  tons 

$4,400 
34.346 
3.249.385 
61.724 
29.590 
6.500 
66.695 

Clay  (pottery) 

Gold 

Silica 

13,747  tons 

Silver __ 

Stone,  miscellaneous  

Other  minerals* .__    ___    _    _ 

Total  value 

$3,452,640 

•Includes  brick,  coal,  copper,  manganese,  mineral  paint,  platinum,  and  soapstone. 


BUTTE. 
Area:  1,722  square  miles. 

Population:  31,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location :  North- central  portion  of  state. 

Butte,  twenty-eighth  county  in  California  in  regard  to  the  value  of  its 
mineral  output,  reported  a  commercial  production  of  nine  mineral  sub- 
stances, having  a  total  value  of  $873,035,  as  compared  with  $1,130,259 
for  1917,  the  decrease  being  due  to  gold.  As  will  be  noted  in  the  follow- 
ing tabulation,  gold  is  by  far  the  most  important  item.  Butte  stands 
sixth  among  the  gold-producing  counties  of  the  state.  Among  the 
mineral  resources  of  this  section  are  asbestos,  barytes,  chromite,  gems, 
gold,  limestone,  marble,  mineral  water,  platinum  minerals,  silver  and 
miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 


Amount 


Value 


Chromite  ,         3.325  tons       i  $13i535 

Diamonds {  125 

Gold I  645.975 

Mineral  water 3,900  gals.       j  1,680 

Platinum  114  ounces  j  7.723 

Silver 2.410 

Stone,  miscellaneous j  77,822 

Other  minerals* i  2,765 

Total  value  _„ I  $873,035 

•loeludes  manganese  a^d  natural  gas. 


152 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIPORNU. 


CALAVERAS. 
Area :  1,027  square  miles. 
Population:  9,171  (1910  census). 
Location :  East-central  portion  of  state — Mother  Lode  district. 

Calaveras  County  reported  production  of  9  different  minerals,  valued 
at  $2,794,452  during  the  year  1918,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output 
worth  $3,717,150.  Gold,  copper,  chromite  and  silver  are  the  chief 
mineral  substances  produced.  In  regard  to  total  value  of  mineral 
output  Calaveras  stands  thirteenth  among  the  counties  of  the  state ;  it 
is  fifth  in  gold,  third  in  copper,  and  fourth  in  silver,  having  been  passed 
by  Plumas  in  copper  and  silver  output  for  1918.  The  decrease,  as 
compared  with  1917,  is  due  to  gold  and  copper. 

The  principal  mineral  resources  developed  and  undeveloped  are: 
Asbestos,  barytes,  chromite,  clay,  copper,  fuller's  earth,  gold,  graphite, 
limestone,  marble,  mineral  paint,  mineral  water,  platinum  minerals, 
pyrite,  quartz  crystals,  silver,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  output  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite                                    _      _       _ 

3,830  tons 
6.762,882  lbs. 

$159,453 

Copper                               -         _ 

1,670,432 

Gold                                                                          -      _ 

871,263 

Mineral  water 

10,938  gals. 
10  ounces 

6,069 

Platinum  

598 

Silver _ 

84,150 

Stone,  miscellaneous _    —           _    _ 

420 

Other  minerals*  __ _  _      _      _          -  _    __ 

2,067 

Total  value 

$2,794,452 

*Includes  asbestos  and  lead. 

COLUSA. 
Area :  1,140  square  miles. 

Population:  7,882  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  Sacramento  Valley. 

Colusa  County  lies  largely  in  the  basin  of  the  Sacramento  Valley. 
Its  western  border,  however,  rises  into  the  foothills  of  the  Coast  Range 
of  mountains,  and  its  mineral  resources — largely  undeveloped — include 
coal,  chromite,  copper,  gypsum,  manganese,  mineral  water,  pyrite, 
quicksilver,  sandstone,  miscellaneous  stone,  sulphur,  and  in  some  places 
traces  of  gold  and  silver. 

The  value  of  the  1918  production  was  $16,400,  a  slight  increase  over 
the  1917  figures  of  $16,321,  giving  it  fifty-third  place. 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

$700 

Other  minerals* 

15,700 

Total  value  1 

$16,400 

Includ  s  chromite,  mineral  paint,  and  mineral  water. 


STATISTICS  OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


153 


CONTRA  COSTA. 

Area:  714  square  miles. 

Population:  52,500  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 

Contra  Costa,  like  Alameda  County,  lies  on  the  eastern  shores  of  San 
Francisco  Bay,  and  is  not  commonly  considered  among  the  mineral- 
producing  counties  of  the  state.  It  stands  twenty-third  on  the  list  in 
this  respect,  however,  with  an  output  valued  at  $1,324,251  for  the  cal- 
endar year  1918.  Various  structural  materials  make  up  the  chief  items, 
including  brick,  cement,  limestone,  and  miscellaneous  stone.  Among 
the  others  are  asbestos,  clay,  coal,  gypsum,  manganese,  mineral  water, 
and  soapstone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Brick 

$148,831 

Clay  (pottery) _ 

100  tons 
30,376  gals. 

300 

Mineral  water _               _    ^_      _ 

3,038 

Stone,  miscellaneous __      _ 

324,884 

Other  minerals* __ 

847,198 

Total  value __ 

$1,324,251 

I        *Iiic]udes  cement  and  copper. 


DEL  NORTE. 

Area:  1,024  square  miles. 
Population :  2,417  (1910  census). 
Location :  Extreme  northwest  corner  of  state. 
Transportation :  Wagon  and  mule  back ;  steamer  from  Crescent 
City. 

Del  Norte  rivals  Alpine  County  in  regard  to  inacces,sibility.  Like 
the  latter  county  also,  given  transportation  and  kindred  facilities,  this 
portion  of  the  state  presents  a  wide  field  for  development  along  mining 
lines  especially.  Its  chief  mineral  resources,  largely  untouched,  are 
chromite,  copper,  gems,  gold,  graphite,  iron,  platinum  minerals,  silver, 
and  miscellaneous  stone.  The  increase  in  1918  over  the  1917  figure  of 
$104,340  was  due  to  chromite. 

Commercial  production  for  1918,  giving  it  thirty-sixth  place,  was  as 
follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite                                   -  -    -  -- 

7,143  tons 

$360,485 

Gold                                                                      — -  

565 

Platinum                                        

1  ounce 

97 

Silver                                                                       

4 

Stone   iniscellaneous                                              - 

8.000 

Other  minerals                                               -             

2,524 

$371,675 

154  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 

EL  DORADO. 

A  rca :  1,753  square  miles. 

Fopulalion:  8,000  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location:  East-central  portion  of  the  state;  northernmost  of  the' 
Mother  Lode  counties. 

El  Dorado  County,  which  contains  the  locality  where  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia was  first  heralded  to  the  world,  comes  twenty-fifth  on  the  list  of 
counties  ranked  according  to  the  value  of  their  total  mineral  production 
during  the  year  1918.  In  addition  to  the  segregated  figures  here  given, 
a  large  tonnage  of  limestone  is  annually  shipped  from  El  Dorado  for  use 
in  cement  manufacture,  and  whose  value  is  included  in  the  state  total 
for  cement.  Chromite  and  limestone  both  showed  important  increases 
for  1918. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  section,  many  of  them  undeveloped, 
include  asbestos,  barytes,  chromite,  clay,  copper,  gems,  gold,  iron, 
molybdenum,  limestone,  quartz  crystals,  quicksilver,  glass-sand,  slate, 
soapstone,  silver  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite __    

11,936  tons 
22,259  lbs. 

$674,856 

Copper __    __    _- 

5,498 

Gold   _         _         _                       _  _    .. 

28,352 

Limestone 

96,673  tons 

218,120 

Silver  ______ 

722 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

20,500 

Other  minerals* __    ___ 

11,236 

Total  value 

$959,286 

•Includes  pyrite,  silica  and  soapstone. 

FRESNO. 

Area :  5,950  square  miles. 

Population:  120,000  (estimate  by  Board  of  Supervisors,  1914). 

Location :  South-central  portion  of  state. 

Fresno  County,  third  in  importance  as  a  mineral  producer  among  the 
counties  of  California,  reported  an  output  for  1918  of  ten  mineral  sub- 
stances, with  a  total  value  of  $19,876,625,  an  increase  over  the  reported 
1917  production,  which  was  worth  $14,158,052.  The  great  bulk  of  the 
above  is  derived  from  the  petroleum  production  of  the  Coalinga  field. 

The  mineral  resources  of  this  county  are  many,  and,  aside  from  crude 
oil,  are  in  the  main  not  yet  fully  developed.  They  include  asbestos, 
barytes,  brick,  chromite,  copper,  gems,  gold,  graphite,  gypsum,  iron, 
magnesite,  natural  gas,  petroleum^  quicksilver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 


STATISTICS  OF  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


155 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromitc               _  _      _ 

2.314  tons 

$86,181 

89,156 

4,795 

26,800 

16,151 

267.123 

19,138,083 

3,652 

37 

lirick 

Cold 

(iranite  

Magnesite 

1,795  tons 
5,009,327  M  cu.  ft. 
16,068,919  bbls. 
35  flasks 

Natural  gas _ 

Petroleum 

Quicksilver 

Silver  

Stone,  miscellaneous _    _ 

244,647 

Total  value 

$19,876,625 

GLENN. 
Ai'ea:  1,259  square  miles. 
Population:  7,172  (1910  census). 
Location :  West  side  of  Sacramento  Valley. 

Glenn  County,  standing  forty-eighth,  owes  its  position  among  the 
mineral-producing  counties  of  the  state  mainly  to  the  presence  of  large 
deposits  of  sand  and  gravel  which  are  annually  worked,  the  product 
being  used  for  railroad  ballast,  etc.  In  1917  and  1918,  chromite  was 
also  an  important  item.  In  the  foothills  in  the  western  portion  of 
the  county,  deposits  of  chromite,  copper,  manganese,  sandstone,  and 
soapstone  have  been  found. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite  

1,129  tons 

$57,263 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

32,436 

Total  value ^ 

$89,699 

HUMBOLDT. 

Area:  3,634  square  miles. 

Population:  37,500  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:   Northwestern   portion   of  state,   bordering   on   Pacific 
Ocean. 

Humboldt  County  is  almost  entirely  mountainous,  transportation 
within  its  limits  being  very  largely  by  wagon  road  and  trail,  and  until 
recent  years  was  reached  from  the  outside  world  by  steamer  only. 
The    county   is   rich   in   mineral   resources,    among   which   are   brick, 


I 


156 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNU. 


chromite,  coal,  clay,  copper,  gold,  iron,  mineral  water,  natural  g? 
petroleum,  platinum,  silver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Twelve  mineral  substances,  as  shown  by  the  table  given  below,  havii 
a  total  value  of  $141,954,  were  produced  in  1918,  as  compared  with  tl 
1917  output,  worth  $59,808,  the  increase  being  due  to  manganese. ai 
chromite.  Humboldt  ranks  forty-third  among  the  counties  of  tl 
state  for  the  year. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite  

370  tons 
210  tons 

$21,744 
420 

Clav  (notterv) 

Gold    _- . 1 

8,028 

Granite  _^_ 

116 

Manganese   __      __ 

1,520  tons 
640  M  cu.  ft. 
2  ounces 

57,751 
85 

Natural  gas __      _      _ 

Platinum . _- 

140 

Silver  _. 

72 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

51,082 

Other  minerals* 

2,516 

Total  value 

$141,954 

•Includes  brick,  mineral  water,  and  pumice. 


IMPERIAL. 

Area:  4,089  square  miles. 

Population:  50,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 

Location :  Extreme  southeast  corner  of  the  state. 

During  1918  Imperial  County  produced  eight  mineral  substances 
having  a  total  value  of  $109,692,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output, 
worth  $129,400.  Its  rank  is  forty-sixth.  This  county  contains  deposits 
of  gold,  gypsum,  lead,  marble,  pumice,  salt,  silver,  and  strontium,  largely 
undeveloped. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Brick  and  tile                         -      

$11,670 

Gold                                                                  -  -    

247 

Manganese                                  -               _      _      _    

1,241  tons 

46,900 

Silver 

1,248 

Stone  miscellaneous 

34,787 

Other  minerals* _    

14,840 

Total  value  _- -  _         

$109,692 

*Ipclude&  copper,  lead,  and  pumice. 


STATISTICS  01^  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


157 


INYO. 

Area:  10,019  square  miles. 

Population:  7,500  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  Lies  on  eastern  border  of  state,  north  of  San  Bernar- 
dino County. 

Inyo,  the  second  largest  county  in  the  state,  and  containing  less  than 
one  inhabitant  per  square  mile,  is  extremely  interesting  from  a  mineral- 
ogical  point  of  view.  It  is  noted  because  of  the  fact  that  within  its 
borders  are  located  both  the  highest  point.  Mount  Whitney  (elevation 
14,502  feet),  and  the  lowest  point.  Death  Valley  (elevation  290  feet 
below  sea  level) ,  in  the  United  States.  In  the  higher  mountainous 
sections  are  found  many  vein-forming  minerals,  and  in  the  lake  beds 
of  Death  Valley  saline  deposits  exist. 

Inyo's  mineral  production  during  the  year  1918  reached  a  value  of 
-5,177,676,  standing  eighth  among  the  counties  of  the  state  in  this 
respect.  The  1917  value  was  $6,296,230,  the  decrease  being  due  mainly 
to  lead  and  soda.  Its  mineral  resources  include  antimony,  asbestos, 
barytes,  bismuth,  borax,  copper,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  lead,  magnesite, 
marble,  molybdenum,  mineral  water,  nitre,  platinum,  pumice,  quick- 
silver, salt,  silver,  soda,  sulphur,  talc,  tungsten,  and  zinc. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amaunt 

Copper    _  _  _         _      - 

338,518  lbs. 

Dolomite _  _      

I        14,390  tons 

Gold 

Lead   

12,2^,471  lbs. 

Silver  

Tale 

9,635  tons 

Stone,  miscellaneous    _  _ 

Tungsten  concentrates    -  - 

589  tons 

Zinc „ 

2,517,045  lbs. 

Other  minerals* _    

1 
Total  value 

Value 


$83,614 

32,056 

100,240 

867,866 

441,548 

72,549 

5,000 

854,025 

229,051 

2.491,727 


$5,177,676 


♦Includes  borax,  limestone,  salt,  and  soda. 


KERN. 

Area:  8,003  square  miles. 

Population:  50,000  (estimate  by  Board  of  Supervisors). 

Location:  South-central  portion  of  state. 
Kern  County,  because  of  its  immense,  productive  oil  fields,  stands 
pre-eminent  among  all  counties  of  California  in  the  value  of  its  min- 
eral output,  the  exact  figures  for  1918  being  $63,410,685.  This  is  larger 
by  more  than  forty  million  dollars  than  the  succeeding  county  on  the 
list.     This  figure  also  is  over  3  times  the  value  of  the  total  gold  output 


158 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


of  the  entire  state  for  1918.  The  1917  mineral  output  for  Kern  Count 
was  worth  $49,743,422.  The  great  increase  was  due  to  the  enhance 
prices  for  crude  oil  of  all  grades. 

Among  the  mineral  resources,  developed  and  undeveloped,  of  thij 
section  are:  Antimony,  asbestos,  asphalt,  barytes,  borax,  brick,  claj 
copper,  fuller's  earth,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  iron,  lead,  limestone,  ma| 
nesite,  marble,  mineral  paint,  natural  gas,  petroleum,  potash,  salt,  silvei 
soapstone,  soda,  sulphur  and  tungsten. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value  ^ 

Brick           _    

1,678  M 
95,580  lbs. 

$16,380 

CoDDer                                     -             _      _      _      _ 

23,608 

Gold 

246,127 

Lime                 _ ______  

23,615  bbls. 
23,545,128  M  cu.  ft. 
49,049,917  bbls. 

23,615 

Natural  gas    _  _ __    - 

1,507,912 

Petroleum                 _ __ 

61,410,496 

Silver 

7,817 

Stone,  miscellaneous      _________ 

311 

Other  minerals*          _                              _  _      _            _ 

174,419 

Total  value 

$63,410,685 

♦Includes  lead,  limestone,  magnesite,  mangan  se,  quicksilver,  salt,  and  tungsten. 

KINGS. 

Area:  1,159  square  miles. 

Population:  23,500  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  South-central  portion  of  the  state. 
Little  development  has  taken  place  in  Kings  County  along  mineral 
lines  to  date.  Deposits  of  fuller's  earth,  gypsum,  mineral  paint,  natural 
gas,  and  quicksilver,  of  undetermined  extent,  have  been  found  in  the 
county.  Some  drilling  for  oil  has  been  under  way,  but  there  has,  as 
yet,  been  no  commercial  output  recorded. 

In  fifty-fourth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Natural  gas 

2,460  M  cu.  ft. 

$590 

Other  minerals  ___ 

8,639 

Total  value  __ 

$9,229 

LAKE. 

Area:  1,278  square  miles. 

Population:  5,600  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  About  fifty  miles  north  of  San  Francisco  Bay  and  the 
same  distance  inland  from  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

On  account  of  its  topography  and  natural  beauties.  Lake  County  is 
sometimes  referred  to  as  the  Switzerland  of  America.  The  mineral 
resources  which  exist  here  are  many  and  varied,  actual  production 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


159 


being  comparatively  small,  as  shown  by  the  table  below,  and  composed 
mainly  of  quicksilver,  chromite  and  mineral  water.  Some  of  the  lead- 
ing minerals  found  in  this  section,  in  part  as  yet  undeveloped,  are 
borax,  chromite,  clay,  copper,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  mineral  water, 
quicksilver,  silver,  and  sulphur. 

In  thirty-ninth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite  

Mineral  water    _  _ 

476  tons 
87,067  gals. 
1,540  flasks 

$24,790 
15.006 

Quicksilver          _ 

172,173 

Stone,  miscellaneous    _____  

1,000 

Other  minerals*    _  _         _      _      

2.907 

Total  value    _  _       

$215,876 

♦Includes  manganese  and  natural  gas. 

LASSEN. 
Area :  4,531  square  miles. 

PopiUation:  7,000  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location :  Northeast  portion  of  state. 

Lassen  County  is  one  of  the  little  explored  sections  of  California. 
Since  about  1912  a  railroad  traversing  the  county  north  and  south 
has  been  in  operation,  thus  affording  opportunity  for  development  along 
mineral  and  other  lines. 

Among  the  mineral  resources  of  this  county  are  copper,  gems,  gypsum, 
gold,  silver,  and  sulphur.  In  the  past,  some  gold  has  been  produced, 
but  not  during  the  last  two  or  three  years. 

In  fifty-sixth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous                 _         

$800 

LOS  ANGELES. 
Area:  4,067  square  miles. 

Population:  800,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1913). 
Location :  One  of  the  southwestern  coast  counties. 

Mineral  production  in  Los  Angeles  County  for  the  year  1918  amounted 
in  value  to  $16,006,628,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output,  worth 
$8,204,523.  This  county  ranked  fourth  in  the  state  as  a  mineral  pro- 
ducer in  1918,  passing  Shasta,  which  was  fourth  in  1917.  The  advance 
was  due  to  the  large  increase  in  the  petroleum  valuation. 


160 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


Its  output  of  brick  and  tile  was  nearly  a  million  dollars,  and  that 
of  petroleum  amounted  to  over  thirteen  million  dollars.  Among  its 
mineral  resources  may  be  noted  asphalt,  barytes,  borax,  brick,  clay, 
fuller's  earth,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  infusorial  earth,  limestone,  marble, 
mineral  paint,  mineral  water,  natural  gas,  petroleum,  salt,  glass-sand, 
sandstone,  serpentine,  silver,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone.  Some 
potash  is  obtained  from  kelp. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Brick                  -    *  „                 _______    

48,381  M 

18,630  tons 

12,634  tons 

110,481  gals. 

2,088,959  M 

10,125,190  bbls. 

2,380  tons 

$668,676 

Tile                              -      -         __ 

121,903 

Clay  (pottery)                              _  _         _ 

11,820 

Mineral  water 

15,540 

Natural  gas    -      -                         _      -              _  _    _. 

224,279 

Petroleum    _      -     _                  _      _ 

13,567,755 

Potash , 

462,600 

Stone,  miscellaneous    _ 

547,190 

Other  minerals* ' 

386,865 

Total  value 

$16,006,628 

'Includes  borax,  g-;ms,  graphite,  magnesium  chloride,  manganese,  salt,  and  serpentine. 


MADERA. 
Area:  2,112  square  miles. 

Population:  12,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  East-central  portion  of  state. 

Madera  County  produced  five  mineral  substances  during  the  year 
1918,  having  a  total  value  of  $114,327,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output, 
worth  $236,937.  The  decrease  is  due  to  a  dropping  off  in  the  output  of 
copper  and  granite.  This  county  contains  deposits  of  copper,  gold, 
iron,  lead,  molybdenum,  pumice,  silver,  and  building  stone. 

In  forty-fifth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Copper  _ 

245,519  lbs. 

$60,643 

Gold 

7,583 

Granite 

40,355 

Silver  _. 

4,208 

Stone,  m 

iscellaneous 

1,540 

value __         _    _ 

Total 

$114,327 

--•---—. 

MARIN. 
Area:  529  square  miles. 

Population:  28,400  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  Adjoins  San  Francisco  on  the  north. 

•  Mineral  production  in  Marin  County  during  the  year  1918  reached  a 
value  of  $176,183,  as  compared  to  the  1917  output,  worth  $272,302. 
This  county  is  not  especially  prolific  in  minerals,  although  among  its 


STATISTICS   OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


161 


resources  along  these  lines  are  brick,  gems,  manganese,  mineral  water, 
soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

In  forty-first  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was : 


Substance 

Amount 

Valuo 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

$89,458 
86,725 

Other  minerals* 

Total  value 

$176,183 

*Includes  brick,  copper,  grold,  mineral  water,  and  silver. 

MARIPOSA. 

Area:  1,46'3  square  miles. 
Population:  3,956  (1910  census). 

Location:  Most  southerly  of  the  Mother  Lode  counties.     East-cen- 
tral portion  of  state. 

Mariposa  County  is  one  of  the  distinctly  'mining'  counties  of  the 
state,  although  it  stands  but  thirty-seventh  on  the  list  of  counties  in 
regard  to  the  value  of  its  mineral  output  for  1918,  with  a  total  of 
$352,504,  as  compared  wih  the  1917  figures  of  $352,227. 

Its  mineral  resources  are  varied;  among  the  more  important  items 
being  barytes,  copper,  gems,  gold,  lead,  marble,  silver,  slate,  soapstone, 
and  miscellaneous  stone. 

The  Yosemite  Valley  is  in  Mariposa  County. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Copper    _  ^    ___    _    __    ___    _    __    . 

30,294  lbs. 

$7,483 

Gold ________ 

337,682 

Silver  

5,083 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

400 

Other  minerals* 

1,856 

Total  value  — 

$352,504 

•Includes  chromite  and  lead. 

MENDOCINO. 
Area :  3,453  square  miles. 

Fopulation:  27,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location :  Joins  Humboldt  County  on  the  south  and  bounded  by  the 
Pacific  Ocean  on  the  west. 

Mendocino's  annual  mineral  production  has  usually  been  small,  the 
1918  output  being  valued  at  $108,388,  ranking  it  forty-seventh  among 
the  counties.  That  of  1917  was  worth  $50,415.  The  increase  is  due 
to  chromite  and  manganese. 


11—47382 


162 


MINEKAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Deposits  of  undetermined  value,  of  asbestos,  ehromite,  coal,  copper, 
graphite,  magnesite,  and  mineral  water  have  been  found,  as  well  as 
traces  of  gold  and  silver. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite 

555  tons 
1,432  tons 

$44,200 

Manganese 

58,962 
5,000 

Stone,  miscellaneous —    

Other  minerals* 

226 

Total  value 

$108,388 

•Includes  gold  and  platinum. 

MERCED. 
Area:  1,995  square  miles. 

Population:  20,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location :  About  the  geographical  center  of  the  state. 

Merced  County  as  a  whole  lies  in  the.  San  Joaquin  Valley,  and  it 
figures  as  one  of  the  lesser  mineral-producing  counties  of  the  state. 
The  1918  mineral  output  was  valued  at  $74,849.  The  decrease  from  the 
value  of  $147,116  in  1917  was  due  to  gold.  Gold,  platinum,  and  silver, 
obtained  by  dredging,  are  among  the  important  items.  Undeveloped 
deposits  of  antimony,  magnesite,  quicksilver,  and  limestone  have  been 
noted  in  this  county  in  addition  to  the  foregoing. 

In  forty-ninth  place,  commercial  production  during  1918  was  as 
follows : 


I 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Gold ._. . 

$41,089 

Silver _  _ _  _    _ 

254 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

32,500 

Other  minerals 

1,006 

Total  value _,    . 

$74,849 

MODOC. 

Area:  3,823  square  miles. 

Population:  6,191  (1910  census). 

Location :  The  extreme  northeast  corner  of  the  state. 

Modoc  County,  like  Lassen,  has  only  recently  had  the  benefit  of 
communication  with  the  outside  world  by  rail.  Among  its  known 
mineral  resources  are :  Clay,  coal,  gold,  iron,  quicksilver,  salt,  and  silver. 

In  fifty-fifth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

$2od 

Other  minerals* .      _ 

8,02^ 

Total  value ____ ___ 

$8,220 

•Includes  told,  salt,  and  silver. 

STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


163 


MONO. 

Area:  3,030  square  miles. 

Population:  2,100  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 

Location:  Is  bordered  by  the  state  of  Nevada  on  the  east  and  is 

about  in  the  central  portion  of  the  state  measured  on  a  north 

and  south  line. 

Gold  mining  has  been  carried  on  in  portions  of  Mono  County  for 
many  years,  although  taken  as  a  whole  it  lies  in  a  rather  inaccessible 
country  and  has  been  but  superficially  explored.  It  is  in  the  continu- 
ation of  the  highly  mineralized  belt  which  was  noted  in  Inyo  County 
and  contains  among  other  mineral  resources  barytes,  clay,  copper,  gold, 
limestone,  molybdenum,  pumice,  salt,  silver,  and  travertine. 

In  fiftieth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Copper _ 

160  lbs. 

$40 

31,252 

94 

Gold __    __ 

Lead  

1,318  lbs. 

Silver  

22,727 
750 

Other  minerals  __      _ 



Total  value  __ 

$54,863 

1 

MONTEREY. 

Area:  3,330  square  miles. 

Population:  25,250  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:    West-central    portion    of    state,    bordering    on    Pacific 
Ocean. 

Monterey  County  produced  nine  mineral  substances  during  the  year 
1918,  having  a  total  value  of  $119,687,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output 
worth  $138,786.  Its  mineral  resources  include  brick,  clay,  copper,  coal, 
dolomite,  feldspar,  fuller's  earth,  gold,  silver,  gypsum,  infusorial  earth, 
limestone,  mineral  water,  petroleum,  quicksilver,  glass-sand,  sandstone, 
silver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

In  forty-fourth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Dolomite                                     _                      _      

4,900  tons 
700  tons 

$25,950 

Feldspar                                            _       _           _  _    

3,800 

Stone,  miscellaneous                                               - 

52,697 

Other  minerals* 

37,240 

Total  value 

$119,687 

'Includes  barytes,  coal,  dlatomaceous  earth,  quicksilver,  salt,  and  silica. 


164 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


NAPA. 
Area :  783  square  miles. 

Population:  26,500  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  Directly  north  of  San  Francisco  Bay — one  of  the  'bay 
counties. ' 

Napa,  because  of  its  production  of  structural  and  industrial  mate- 
rials and  quicksilver,  stands  twenty-first  on  the  list  of  mineral-produc- 
ing counties  in  California.  Its  mineral  resources  include  copper, 
cement,  gypsum,  magnesite,  mineral  water,  quicksilver,  sandstone,  and 
miscellaneous  stone. 

In  1918,  the  value  of  the  output  increased  to  $1,676,367  from  the  1917 
figure  of  $1,421,073,  due  mainly  to  quicksilver  and  cement. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite                                         -       -    _       _  _ 

667  tons 
29,163  tons 
92,512  gals. 
1,297  flasks 

$38,432 

Magnesite 

263,367 

Mineral  water                                               _      _    _ 

59,620 

Quicksilver                                         _   ■    - 

143,850 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

82,944 

Other  minerals* 

1,088,154 

Total  value 

$1,676,367 

^Includes  c  ment,  g-old,  and  silver. 


NEVADA. 
Area:  974  square  miles. 

Population:  15,500  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location :  North  of  Lake  Tahoe,  on  the  eastern  border  of  the  state. 

Nevada,  one  of  the  mountain  counties  of  California,  has,  in  recent 
years,  alternated  with  Amador  in  the  gold  lead,  but  both  were  passed 
by  Yuba  in  1918.  Nevada  County  stands  eleventh  on  the  list  in  regard 
to  the  value  of  its  total  mineral  output,  with  a  figure  of  $3,301,651,  as 
compared  with  the  1917  production  worth  $3,838,397.  The  decrease  is 
due  mainly  to  gold.     Chromite  showed  an  increase. 

While  this  county  actually  produces  mainly  gold  and  silver,  its 
resources  cover  a  wide  scope,  including  antimony,  asbestos,  barytes,  bis- 
muth, chromite,  clay,  copper,  gems,  iron,  lead,  mineral  paint,  pyrite, 
soapstone,  and  tungsten. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite        .                                                      _      - 

3,328  tons 
42.203  lbs. 

$116,933 

Copper         _                                                          __         _ 

10,424 

Gold  _ 

3,070,453 

Silver __      . 

72,557 

Stone,  miscellaneous    _    

1,400 

Other  minerals* 

29,884 

Total  value _ 

$3,301,651 

•Includes  asbestos,  lead,  manganese,  platinum,  and  tungsten  concentrates. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


165 


ORANGE. 

Area:  795  square  miles. 

Population:  56,500  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 

Location :  South-western  portion  of  state,  bordering  Pacific  Ocean. 

Orange  County  is  one  of  the  many  in  California  which  on  casual 
inspection  appears  to  be  anything  but  a  mineral-producing  section. 
It  stands,  however,  as  the  second  county  in  the  state  in  regard  to  the 
total  value  of  mineral  output  for  1918,  its  highly  productive  oil  fields 
making  such  a  condition  possible. 

This  county,  in  company  with  the  other  oil  counties,  shows  a  gain  in 
1918,  with  a  total  value  of  mineral  products  of  $22,914,660  from  the  1917 
output,  worth  $15,231,626.  It  thus  passed  Shasta  County  in  1917, 
which  previously  for  a  number  of  years,  had  exceeded  all  other  counties 
in  California,  except  Kern. 

Aside  from  the  substances  actually  produced  and  noted  in  the  table 
below,  coal,  gypsum,  iron,  infusorial  earth,  sandstone,  and  tourmaline 
have  been  found  in  Orange  County. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Brick     — 

477  M 
3,649  tons 
10,420,171  M  cu.  ft. 
15,730,462  bbls. 

$3,869 

Clay  (pottery) __..____ _- 

4,650 

Natural  gas    -  - _ _  - 

693,169 

Petroleum    _  _ 

22.211,412 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

1,560 

Total  value 

$22,914,660 

PLACER. 

Area :  1,395  square  miles. 

Population:  1S,2S7  (1910  census). 

Location:  Eastern  border  of  state  directly  west  of  Lake  Tahoe. 

While  standing  only  twenty-sixth  on  the  list  of  mineral-producing 
counties.  Placer  contains  a  wide  variety  of  mineral  substances,  some  of 
which  have  not  been  commercially  exploited.  Its  leading  products  are 
gold,  chromite,  granite,  copper,  and  clay.  Other  mineral  resources  are : 
Asbestos,  brick,  chromite,  coal,  gems,  iron,  lead,  limestone,  magnesite, 
manganese,  marble,  quartz  crystals,  glass-sand,  silver,  and  miscellaneous 
stone. 


166 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite 

4,963  tons 

$276,765 

Brick  and  tile __    

81,408 

Clay  (pottery) 

29,348  tons 
837.527  lbs. 

29,348 

Copper    , 

206,869 
230,190 

Gold _._ 

Granite _      

30,882 

Silver 

22,432 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

4,266 

Other  minerals* __..  _  . 

21,360 

Total  value  

$903,520 

♦Includes  manganese  and  silica. 


PLUMAS. 

Area:  2,594  square  miles. 

Population:  5,259  (1910  census). 

Location :  Northeastern  border  of  state,  south  of  Lassen  County. 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  area  of  Plumas  County  lies  in  the  high 
mountains,  and  deposits  of  the  metals,  especially  gold  and  copper,  are 
found  there.  Lack  of  transportation  and  other  facilities  have  retarded 
its  growth,  but  its  future  is  decidedly  promising.  Mineral  production 
for  1918  was  valued  at  $3,092,694,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output, 
worth  $2,294,886',  the  increase  being  due  to  copper  and  silver,  which 
advanced  the  county  from  thirtieth  to  twelfth  place  in  rank. 

Among  its  mineral  resources  are :  Chromite,  copper,  gold,  granite, 
iron,  lead,  limestone,  manganese,  molybdenum,  platinum,  silver,  and 
zinc. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Copper    _              _              ^                          .              _  _ 

11,098,016  lbs. 

$2,741,210 

Gold _  -      -                                _         

125,207 

Manganese _      _      _ 

1,544  tons 

61,754 

Silver ,    __      _  _                                         _       . 

156,750 

Stone,  miscellaneous  _-    -      _ 

7,750 

Other  minerals 

23 

Total  value  _ _  ^ 

$3,092,694 

RIVERSIDE. 

Area:  7,240  square  miles. 

Population:  45,000  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 

Location:  Southern  portion  of  state. 

Riverside  is  the  fourth  county  in  the  state  in  size  and  the  nineteenth 
in  regard  to  the  total  value  of  mineral  output  for  1918.  Within  its 
borders  are  included  mountain,  desert,  and  agricultural  land.  Its 
mineral  resources  include  metals,  structural  and  industrial  materials, 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


167 


and  salines,  some  of  the  more  important  being  borax,  brick,  cement, 
clay,  coal,  copper,  feldspar,  gems,  gold,  gypsum,  iron,  lead,  limestone, 
manganese,  magnesite,  marble,  mineral  paint,  mineral  water,  salt,  glass- 
sand,  soapstone,  silver,  miscellaneous  stone,  and  tin. 

The  increase  in  1918  over  the  1917  value  of  $1,580,555  is  due  mainly 
to  brick  and  tile. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Brick  and  tile 

$296,540 

Clay  (pottery)  ___    

48,195  tons 
19,485  lbs. 
2,288  tons 

80,454 

Copper _    

4,813 

Feldspar 

11,733 

Gold 

392 

Granite _ - 

3326 

Manganese 

3,791  tons 
1,400  tons 

152  694 

Silica      __ __            -    _ 

4800 

Silver  . 

1,541 

Stone,  miscellaneous .. 

127,962 

Other  minerals* 

1,004,787 

Total  value 

$1,689,042 

'Includes  cement,  fluorspar,  gems,  gypsum,  lead,  magnesite,  mineral  water,  and  potash. 


SACRAMENTO. 
Area :  983  square  miles. 

Population :  90,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1913). 
Location :  North-central  portion  of  state. 

Sacramento  stands  sixteenth  among  the  counties  of  the  state  as  a 
mineral  producer,  the  output,  principally  gold,  for  1918  being  valued 
at  $2,102,597,  as  compared  with  the  1917  production,  worth  $2,286,656. 
In  regard  to  gold  output  alone  this  county  ranks  fourth,  being  exceeded 
only  by  Yuba,  Amador,  and  Nevada  counties.  Its  mineral  resources 
include:  Brick,  clay,  gold,  natural  gas,  platinum,  silver,  and  miscel- 
laneous stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Brick  and  tile                                 -    --    

! 
1          $79,312 

Gold                                       -            -      

1       1,694,724 

Silver                                                 

!             4.637 

1          262,689 

61.235 

1 

Total  value                                               -       --. 

.J      $2,102,597 

1      ■■      " 

^Includes  natural  gas,  platinum,  and  potash. 


168 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


SAN  BENITO. 
Area:  1,392  square  miles. 

Population:  8,750  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location :  West-central  portion  of  state. 

Although  twenty-first  among  the  counties  of  the  state  in  regard  to 
value  of  total  mineral  production,  San  Benito  leads  in  one  important 
branch  of  the  mineral  industry,  namely,  quicksilver. 

Its  other  mineral  resources,  many  of  them  undeveloped,  include: 
Antimony,  bituminous  rock,  chromite,  coal,  gypsum,  gems,  limestone, 
mineral  water,  soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite     -_ 

130  tons 

5,000  tons 

5,340  tons 

10,715  flasks 

$7,000 

Dolomite _  

20,625 

Magnesite  

48,060 

Quicksilver      _- 

1,234,027 

Stone,  miscellaneous                                 _    _ _ 

103,295 

Other  minerals* 

124,456 

Total  value 

$1,537,463 

• 

^Includes  cement,  manganese,  and  mineral  water. 


SAN  BERNARDINO. 

Area :  20,157  square  miles. 

Population:  53,000  (estimate  by  board  of  supervisors,  1914). 

Location :  Southeastern  portion  of  state. 

San  Bernardino,  by  far  the  largest  county  in  the  state,  in  area,  ranks 
seventh  as  regards  the  value  of  its  mineral  output  for  1918  with  a  total 
of  $7,632,790,  a^  compared  with  the  1917  total  of  $7,407,742.  The 
increase  is  due  mainly  to  potash,  in  spite  of  the  considerable  decrease 
in  tungsten  value. 

San  Bernardino  leads  all  other  counties  in  the  state  in  point 
of  variety  of  minerals  produced  commercially  during  1918,  there  being 
25  different  substances  on  its  list,  against  16  for  its  nearest  competitor, 
Shasta  County. 

This  county,  consisting  largely  of  mountain  and  desert  country,  is 
highly  mineralized,  the  following  being  included  among  its  resources: 
Asbestos,  barytes,  borax,  brick,  cement,  clay,  copper,  gems,  gold,  granite, 
gypsum,  iron,  lead,  limestone,  manganese,  marble,  mineral  paint,  mineral 
water,  nitre,  potash,  salt,  glass-sand,  silver,  soapstone,  soda,  miscel- 
laneous stone,  strontium,  talc,  tungsten,  vanadium,  and  zinc. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


169 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Cement 

1,027,635  bbls. 
1,580,998  lbs. 
270  tons 

$1,453,962 

Copper     „  ^  - -  - 

390,507 

Dolomite -.. 

810 

Gold    -    

29,225 

Lead        _ 

667,978  lbs. 

10,852  tons 
601,500  gals. 

27.545  tons 

47,426 

Limestone    _      -  _ _ 

13,323 

Mineral  water _  _    _ 

60,150 

Potash       — -    --    --    --    -- 

3,428  443 

Silver     ___               

88,712 

Talc    ,      -      —    —    -_-__       _    —      _      ^ 

430  tons 

4,210 

Stone,  miscellaneous           -         -      ^  ^ 

48  451 

Strontium __         __ 

2,900  tons 
1,347  tons 
2.824  lbs. 

33  000 

Tungsten  concentrates    _      _      _ 

1,911  966 

Zinc  

257 

Other  minerals*                    _      „  _ 

122  348 

Total  value  

$7,632,790 

♦Includes   gems,   granite,   gsrpsum,   iron   ore,   lime,   magncsite,   manganes? 
paint,  and  salt. 


marble,    mineral 


SAN  DIEGO. 
Area :  4,221  square  miles. 

Population:  125,379  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location :  Extreme  southwest  comer  of  state. 

San  Diego  ranks  seventeenth  in  the  total  value  of  its  mineral  output. 
This  figure  for  1918  equaled  $1,942,150,  as  compared  with  the  1917 
output  worth  $1,713,708,  the  advance  being  due  to  potash.  For  the 
first  time  in  several  years,  there  was  no  production  of  gems,  in  which 
San  Diego  County  has  led  the  state.  Aside  from  minerals  commercially 
produced,  as  shown  below,  San  Diego  County  contains  occurrences  of 
bismuth,  lithia,  marble,  nickel,  soapstone,  and  tin.  Potash  is  produced 
from  kelp. 

A  development  of  the  past  three  years  is  the  shipping  of  pebbles  for 
grinding  mills. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 


Brick  and  tile 

Copper  

Feldspar  

Potash  

Salt  

Stone,  miscellaneous 
Other  minerals* 


Total  value 


Amount 


Value 


4,143  lbs. 
700  tons 
10,392  tons 
10,631  tons 


$29,080 

1,023 

3,600 

1.578,874 

61,717 

184,158 

83,698 

$1,942,150 


;  *Includes  granite,  lithia,  and  mineral  water. 


170 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


SAN  FRANCISCO. 

Area:  43  square  miles. 

Population:  527,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1915). 

Surprising  as  it  may  appear  at  first  glance,  San  Francisco  County 
is  listed  among  the  mineral  producing  sections  of  the  state,  actual  pro- 
duction consisting  of  crushed  rock,  sand,  and  gravel.  Small  quantities 
of  various  valuable  mineral  substances  are  found  here,  including  cin- 
nabar, gypsum,  lignite,  and  magnesite,  none,  however,  in  paying 
quantities. 

In  fifty-second  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 


Amount 


Value 


Stone,  miscellaneous 


$16,463 


SAN  JOAQUIN. 

Area:  1,448  square  miles. 

Population:  70,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 

Location  :  Central  portion  of  state. 

San  Joaquin  County  reported  a  mineral  production  for  the  year  1918 
having  a  total  value  of  $601,973,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output, 
worth  $470,220,  the  increase  being  due  mainly  to  brick  and  gold.  Com- 
paratively few  mineral  substances  are  found  here,  the  chief  ones  being 
brick,  clay,  infusorial  earth,  manganese,  natural  gas,  glass-sand,  and 
miscellaneous  stone.  Gold,  platinum,  and  silver,  are  obtained  by  dredg- 
ing in  the  Mokelumme  River,  which  forms  the  boundary  between  this 
county  and  Amador  on  the  northeast. 

In  thirty-second  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Brick 

$305,475 

Manganese   

4,281  tons 
202,453  M  cu.  ft. 

117,709 

Natural  gas _      _      _      

60,405 

Stone,  miscellaneous _    __    ___ 

47,085 

Other  minerals*  _—_  ___    ___      _      

71,299 

Total  value    _         _  -    _ 

$601,973 

♦Includes  gold,  platinum  and  silver. 


SAN  LUIS  OBISPO. 
Area :  3,334  square  miles. 

Population:  25,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  Bordered  by  Kern  County  on  the  east  and  the  Pacific 
Ocean  on  the  west. 

The  total  value  of  the  mineral  production  of  San  Luis  Obispo  County 
in  1918  was  $858,679,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output,  worth  $338,144, 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


171 


the  increase  being  due  to  chromite.     Among  its  mineral  resources,  both 
developed    and   undeveloped,    are:    Asphalt,    bituminous   rock,    brick, 
chromite,  coal,  copper,  gypsum,  infusorial  earth,  iron,  limestone,  marble, 
mineral  water,  onyx,  petroleum,  quicksilver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 
In  twenty-ninth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite                              _                         -       _    _ 

10,443  tons 

1,907  tons 

62,744  bbls. 

$539,423 

Manganese                                                  _  _    ^    _ 

81,926 

Petroleum 

56,783 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

6,100 

Other  minerals* 

174,447 

Total  value 

$858,679 

♦Includes  bituminous  rock,  copp  r,  gold,  mineral  water,  quicksilver,  silver,  and  soda. 

SAN  MATEO. 
Area:  447  square  miles. 

Population:  35,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  Peninsula,  adjoined  by  San  Francisco  on  the  north. 

San  Mateo's  most  important  mineral  products  are  stone,  brick,  and 
salt,  the  last-named  being  derived  by  evaporation  from  the  waters  of 
San  Francisco  Bay.  The  total  value  of  all  mineral  production  during 
1918  equaled  $193,812,  as  compared  with  the  1917  figures  of  $207,162, 
the  decrease  being  due  to  miscellaneous  stone. 

Small  amounts  of  barytes,  chromite,  infusorial  earth  and  quicksilver 
have  been  noted  in  addition  to  the  items  of  economic  value  given  below. 

In  fortieth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Salt                        -    - — - 

26,434  tons 

$144,604 

Stone   miscellaneous                                  -         --  -- 

34,164 

Other  minerals*                                           -  -       

15,044 

Total  value 

$193,812 

^Includes  magnesium  chloride  and  potash. 


SANTA  BARBARA. 

Area:  2,740  square  miles. 

Population:  32,750  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 

Location :  South-western  portion  of  state,  joining  San  Luis  Obispo 

on  the  south. 

Santa  Barbara  County  owes  its  advance  to  fifth  in  the  state  in  regard 

to  its  mineral  output  to  the  presence  of  productive  oil  fields  within  its 

boundaries.     The  total  value  of  its  mineral  production  during  the  year 


172 


MINERAL  INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


1918  was  $10,051,831,  as  compared  with  the  1917  output  of  $5,153,081. 
Santa  Barbara,  in  company  with  the  other  oil  counties,  showed  an 
increase  in  petroleum  valuation  for  1918. 

Aside  from  the  mineral  substances  listed  below,  Santa  Barbara 
County  contains  asphalt,  diatomaceous  earth,  gilsonite,  gypsum,  mag- 
nesite,  and  quicksilver  in  more  or  less  abundance. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Liimestone    ^_         _ -            __. 

3,790  tons 

73,117  gals. 

4,150.316  Mcu.  ft 

7,334,104  bbls. 

1,863  tons 

$18  830 

Mineral  water    _           _               _            _ 

97,162 

Natural  gas _            _ 

338  036 

Petroleum  

Potash 

9,057,618 

256,780 

11,613 

Stone,  miscellaneous  _      

Other  minerals* 

271,792 

Total  value 

$10  051  831 

^Includes  bituminous  rock,  chromite,  brick,  diatomaceous  eartli,  quicksilver,  and  sandstone. 


SANTA  CLARA. 
Area :  1,328  square  miles. 

Population:  90,000  (estimate  by  board  of  supervisors,  1914). 
Location :  West-central  portion  of  state. 

Santa  Clara  County  reported  a  mineral  output  for  1918  of  $1,759,568, 
as  compared  with  the  1917  figures  of  $991,530,  the  increase  being  due  to 
potash  and  manganese. 

This  county,  lying  largely  in  the  Coast  Range  Mountains,  contains 
a  wide  variety  of  mineral  substances,  including  brick,  chromite,  clay, 
limestone,  magnesite,  manganese,  mineral  water,  petroleum,  quick- 
silver, soapstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone.  It  stood  second  in  quick- 
silver yield  for  the  year. 

In  eighteenth  place,  commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite                                   _                       --  -..    

225  tons 

$8,968 

Brick    _      -      _      _                  _    -       --    ___ 

62,000 

Magnesite     -                                          ___.._ 

9,746  tons 
1,059  tons 

13,025  gals. 

20,499  bbls. 
3,977  flasks 

121,872 

Manganese 

38,301 

Mineral  water ____-      .-_ 

1,678 

Petroleum -         -         _      _ 

34,848 

Quicksilver    -  _  _  _  _ 

478,524 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

111,860 

Other  minerals* 

901,517 

Total  value 

$1,759,568 

•Includes  pottery  clay,  potash,  and  tile. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


173 


SANTA  CRUZ. 
Area:  435  square  miles. 

Population:  30,140  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:  Bordering  Pacific  Ocean,  just  south  of  San  Mateo  County. 

The  mineral  output  of  Santa  Cruz  County,  a  portion  of  which  is 
itemized  below,  amounted  to  a  total  value  of  $2,599,717,  giving  the 
county  a  standing  of  fourteenth  among  all  others  in  the  state  in  this 
regard.  The  advance  from  seventeenth  place  in  1917  with  a  valuation 
of  $1,668,324  was  due  mainly  to  cement,  and  in  part  to  potash. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 


Amount 


Value 


Lime 

Limestone  

Stone,  miscellaneous 
Other  minerals* 


182,083  bbls. 
7,132  tons 


$285,316 

15,313 

9,107 

2,289,981 


Total  value _|     $2,599,717 

•Includes  bituminous  rock,  cement,  and  potash. 

SHASTA. 
Area:  3,858  square  miles. 

Population:  19,000  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location:  'North-aentral  portion  of  state 

Shasta  County  stands  sixth  in  California  among  the  mineral-produc- 
ing counties  for  1918  with  an  output  valued  at  $8,098,671,  as  compared 
with  the  1917  production,  worth  $10,244,869,  the  decrease  being  due 
mainly  to  the  falling  off  in  output  of  copper.  Not  taking  petroleum 
into  account,  Shasta  leads  all  the  counties  by  a  fair  margin.  This 
county  is  first  in  copper  production,  second  in  silver,  first  in  pyrite,  first 
in  zinc,  and  seventh  in  gold.  The  Shasta  copper  belt  contains  the  most 
important  deposits  of  this  metal  yet  developed  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Shasta's  mineral  resources  include:  Asbestos,  barytes,  brick,  chromite, 
coal,  copper,  gold,  iron,  lead,  lime,  limestone,  mineral  water,  molyb- 
denum, pyrite,  silver,  miscellaneaus  stone,  and  zinc. 

Lassen  Peak  is  located  in  southeastern  Shasta  County. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite                              _      -  _    

1,423  tons 
25,294,590  lbs. 

$70,214 

Copper - -  - 

6,247,764 

Gold                          -      .  -              

543,509 

Lead     ,                                      -      —      _— - 

492,565  lbs. 
45,671  tons 
35  ounces 

34,972 

Limestone  

Platinum  

Silver                                      .                      _      _  _    

72,410 

2,709 

420,410 

Stone,  miscellaneous                                  _    _  _  _. -    -- 

7,000 

Zinc     -                                                     -       

3,045,692  lbs. 

277.158 

Other  minerals*                                                -- 

422.525 

Total  value                                                 -    

$8,008,671 

♦Includes  cadmium,  brick,  iron  ore.  lime,  min  ral  water,  molybdenum,  and  pyrite. 


174  MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP    CALIFORNIA. 

SIERRA. 

Area :  923  square  miles. 

Populatian:  4,098  (1910  census). 

Location:  Eastern  border  of  state,  just  north  of  Nevada  County. 

Sierra  County  reported  a  mineral  production  of  $331,501,  consisting 
mainly  of  gold  and  silver,  during  the  year  1918,  as  compared  with  the 
1917  output,  worth  $389,615,  the  decrease  being  due  to  the  falling  off  in 
gold  output.  Considering  gold  output  alone,  this  county  stands 
eleventh ;  and  as  to  total  mineral  yield,  thirty-eighth. 

Aside  from  the  metals  itemized  below.  Sierra  County  contains  deposits 
of  asbestos,  copper,  iron,  lead,  platinum  minerals,  serpentine,  and  talc. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite        _  _    -         - 

807  tons 

$40,012 

Gold       -       -                .  -  _      -    

289,368 

Silver _      -_    -    -    -    _    — - 

2,121 

Total  value    _ 

$331,501 

SISKIYOU. 

Area:  6,256  square  miles. 

Population:  25,000  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location:  Extreme  north-central  portion  of  state,  next  to  Oregon 
boundary. 

Siskiyou,  fifth  county  in  California  in  regard  to  size,  located  in  a 
highly  mineralized  and  mountainous  country,  ranks  twenty-seventh  in 
regard  to  the  value  of  its  mineral  output  for  1918.  The  advance  in  rank 
from  thirty-ninth  in  1917,  was  due  to  chromite,  notwithstanding  the 
losses  in  copper,  gold  and  miscellaneous  stone.  Although  the  county 
is  traversed  by  a  transcontinental  railroad  in  a  north  and  south  line, 
the  mineral-bearing  sections  are  almost  without  exception  far  from 
transportation  and  other  facilities.  A  large  part  of  the  county  is  acces- 
sible by  trail  alone.  Future  development  and  exploitation  will  doubt- 
less increase  the  productiveness  of  this  part  of  the  state  to  a  great 
degree. 

Mount  Shasta  is  located  in  Siskiyou  County. 

Among  Siskiyou's  mineral  resources  are:  Chromite,  clay,  coal,  cop- 
per, gems,  gold,  lead,  limestone,  manganese,  marble,  mineral  water, 
pumice,  quicksilver,  sandstone,  silver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 


STATISTICS  OP  ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


175 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite     

6,612  tons 
573,593  lbs. 

$336,588 
141  677 

Copper 

Gold _ 

294  227 

Mineral  water 

501,750  gals. 
1  ounce 

50175 

Platinum 

58 

Silver  __      _ 

14.501 
24  588 

Stone,  miscellaneous    

Other  minerals* 

15473 

Total  value _ _ 

$877,287 

*Includcs  lead  and  pumic3. 

SOLANO. 

Area:  822  square  miles. 

Population:  31,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 

Location :  Touching  San  Francisco  Bay  on  the  northeast. 

Solano,  while  mostly  valley  land,  produced  mineral  substances  during 
the  year  1918  to  the  total  value  of  $1,470,726,  ranking  twenty-second 
among  the  counties  of  the  state,  the  decrease  from  1917  being  due  to 
cement.  Among  her  mineral  resources  are :  Brick,  cement,  clay,  fuller's 
earth,  limstone,  mineral  water,  natural  gas,  onyx,  petroleum,  quick- 
silver, salt,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 


Amount 


Value 


Mineral  water 

Quicksilver 

Stone,  miscellaneous 
Other  minerals* 


11,440  gals. 


$2,722 

59,122 

30,124 

1.378,758 


Total  value  ' $1,470,726 


'Includes  cement,  fuller's  earth,  natural  gas,  onyx,  and  salt. 


SONOMA. 
Area:  1,577  square  miles. 
Population:  48,394  (1910  census). 

Location:  South  of  Mendocino  County,  bordering  on  the  Pacific 
Ocean. 

Sonoma  ranked  thirty-third  among  the  counties  of  California  during 
the  year  1918,  with  a  mineral  production  of  $586,391,  as  compared  with 
its  1917  output  worth  $506,750,  the  increase  being  due  mainly  to  chro- 
mite and  quicksilver.  More  paving  blocks  are  turned  out  here  than  in 
any  other  section  of  the  state. 


176 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Among  Sonoma's  mineral  resources  are:  Brick,  chromite,  clay,  cop- 
per, graphite,  infusorial  earth,  magnesite,  manganese,  marble,  mineral 
paint,  mineral  water,  quicksilver,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Ohromite - _- 

1,540  tons 

4,110  tons 

173  tons 

83,220  gals. 

2,417  flasks 

$73,906 

Magnesite 

40,010 

Manganese _  _  - ,  _ 

7,645 

Mineral  water    _       _  _  _    _      _ 

36,050 

Quicksilver    _  _ _    _      _ 

280,333 

Stone,  miscellaneous       ^  _                               _  - 

148,347 

Other  minerals       _               _  -      - 

lOO 

Total  value 

$586,391 

STANISLAUS. 
Area:  1,450  square  miles. 

Population:  30,000  (estimate  by  Board. of  Trade,  1914). 
Location :  Center  of  state,  bounded  on  south  by  Merced  County. 
Gold  has  usually  been  the  chief  mineral  product  of  Stanislaus  County, 
but  it  was  exceeded  in  1918  by  manganese.     Brick,  clay,  gypsum,  iron, 
mineral  paint,  quicksilver,  and  silver  are  found  here  to  some  extent  as 
well.     This  county,  for  1918,  ranks  thirty-fifth  in  the  state  in  regard  to 
value  of  minerals,  with  an  output  of  $453,913  as  compared  with  $289,922 
in  1917,  the  increase  being  due  to  chromite,  magnesite,  and  manganese. 
Gold,  platinum,  and  silver  are  obtained  mainly  by  dredging. 
Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Ohromite 

1,352  tons 

$56,505 

Gold 

114,196 

Silver     .._    __    „      _ 

592 

Magnesite     >_-___         _         __ 

2,024  tons 

5,753  tons 

498  tons 

18,038 

Manganese    -         _      -      _ 

222,422 

Mineral  paint 

3,088 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

38,764 

Other  minerals 

308 

Total  value 

$453,913 

SUTTER. 
Area :  608  square  miles. 

Population:  9,375  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location :  Bounded  by  Butte  County  on  the  north  and  Sacramento 
on  the  south. 

Sutter  is  one  of  only  two  counties  in  the  state  which  for  a  number  of 
years  reported  no  commercial  output  of  some  kind  of  mineral  substance. 


STATISTICS   OF   ANNUAL  PRODUCTION. 


177 


In  1917  some  crushed  rock  was  taken  out,  from  the  Marysville  Buttes, 
but  there  was  no  production  in  1918.  Both  coal  and  clay  exi^t  here, 
but  deposits  of  neither  mineral  have  been  placed  on  a  productive  basis. 

TEHAMA. 
Area:  2,893  square  miles. 

Population:  14,575  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location:  North-central  portion  of  the  state,  l)ounded  on  the  north 
by  Shasta. 

Tehama  stands  forty-second  among  the  fifty-six  mineral-producing 
counties  of  the  state  for  1918,  when  its  output  was  valued  at  $157,591, 
as  compared  with  the  1917  yield  worth  $44,019.  The  advance  was  due 
to  chromite. 

Among  its  mineral  resources  are  listed :  Brick,  chromite,  copper,  gold, 
manganese,  marble,  mineral  water,  salt,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite     -             -                                    _      _ 

3,261  tons 

$152,291 

Stone,  miscellaneous       -                                  - 

2,500 

Other  minerals     _      _                                      _    _    __  _ 

2,800 

Total  value                        -       __                  -         _ 

$157,591 

TRINITY. 
Area :  3,166  square  miles. 
Population:  3,301  (1910  census). 
Location :  Northwestern  portion  of  state. 

Trinity,  like  Siskiyou  County,  requires  transportation  facilities  to 
further  the  development  of  its  many  and  varied  mineral  resources. 
Deposits  of  asbestos,  barytes,  chromite,  copper,  gold,  mineral  water, 
platinum,  quicksilver,  silver,  and  building  stone  are  known  here,  but 
with  the  exception  of  gold,  chromite,  and  copper,  very  little  active 
production  of  these  mineral  substances  has  been  made  as  yet.  The  1918 
output  of  $707,524  shows  a  decrease  from  the  1917  figure  of  $987,842, 
due  mainly  to  gold,  notwithstanding  the  increase  in  chromite  shipped. 

In  thirtieth  place,  commercial  output  for  1918  was : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite                                              --  -    

1,814  tons 

$75,660 

Gold                                                                             _  ._- 

444,729 

Platinum  

Silver 

41  ounces 

3,136 
6.912 

Stone   misoellaneons                                                              ^                     

1.513 

Other  minerals*                                          - - 

175,574 

Total  value                                       - 

$707,524 

♦Includes  copper,  mineral  water,  and  quicksilver. 
12—47382 


178 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP    CALIFORNIA. 


TULARE. 
Area :  4,856  square  miles. 

Population:  35,440  (1910  census). 

Location :  Bounded  by  Inyo  on  the  east,  Kern  on  the  south,  Fresno 

on  the  north. 

Tulare  stands  thirty- fourth  on  the  list  of  mineral-producing  counties, 
the  drop  from  nineteenth  place  in  1917,  being  due  to  the  decrease  in 
magnesite  shipments.  Her  mineral  resources,  among  others,  are :  Brick, 
clay,  copper,  feldspar,  graphite,  gems,  limestone,  magnesite,  marble, 
quartz,  glass-sand,  soapstone,  miscellaneous  stone,  and  zinc.  Tulare 
for  a  number  of  years  led  the  state  in  magnesite  output,  but  was 
passed  in  1918  by  Napa  County. 

Commercial  production  in  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite 

600  tons 

444  tons 

8,400  tons 

28,826  tons 

204  tons 

$24,000 

2,928 

32,400 

269,748 
1,143 

125,407 

Feldspar  _,    _ 

Limestone 

Magnesite  _____ 

Silica   __.. 

Stone,  miscellaneous    

Other  minerals* __    _ 

71  782 

Total  value 

$527,408 

*Ineludes  brick,  tile,  gems,  granite,  soapstone  and  talc. 


TUOLUMNE. 
Area:  2,190  square  miles. 
Population:  9,979  (1910  census). 
Location:  East-central  portion  of  state — Mother  Lode  district. 

Tuolumne  ranks  thirty-first  among  the  counties  of  the  state  relative 
to  its  total  value  of  mineral  output.  As  a  producer  of  marble  its 
standing  is  first.  The  increase  in  1918  to  $602,278  over  the  1917  figure 
of  $511,273  was  due  to  chromite. 

Chromite,  clay,  copper,  gold,  lead,  limestone,  marble,  mineral  paint, 
platinum,  soapstone,  silver,  and  miscellaneous  stone,  are  among  its  min- 
eral resources. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Chromite  

4,269  tons 
35,127  lbs. 

$168,693 

Copper  

8,676 

Gold 

274,328 

Limestone 

Silver 

3,064  tons 

5,600 
21,425 

Stone,  miscellaneous 
Other  minerals* 


Total  value 


1,700 
121,856 


$602,278 


•Includes  lime,  manganese,  and  marble. 


STATISTICS   OP   ANNUM.   PRODUCTION. 


179 


VENTURA. 
Area:  1,878  square  miles. 

Population:  21,000  (estimate  by  Chamber  of  Commerce,  1914). 
Location:    Southwestern    portion   of   state,    bordering   on   Pacific 
Ocean. 

Ventura  is  the  fifteenth  county  in  the  state  in  respect  to  the  value 
of  its  mineral  production  for  1918,  the  exact  figure  being  $2,186,311,  as 
compared  with  the  output  for  1917,  worth  $1,498,010,  the  advance  being 
due  to  petroleum. 

The  highest  gravity  petroleum  produced  in  the  state  is  found  here. 

Among  its  other  mineral  resources  are:  Asphalt,  borax,  brick,  clay, 
mineral  water,  natural  gas,  sandstone,  and  miscellaneous  stone. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 


Amount 


Natural  gas !       858,457  M  en.  ft. 

Petroleum  \    1,339,342  bbls. 

Stone,  miscellaneous j 

Other  minerals 


Value 


Total  value 


$150,885 

1,982,226 

52,900 

300 

$2,186,311 


YOLO. 

Area:  1,014  square  miles. 

Population:  15,000   (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location:  Sacramento  Valley,  bounded  by  Sutter  on  the  east  and 
Colusa  on  the  north. 

The  mineral  production  from  Yolo  County  during  the  year  1918  con- 
sisted mainly  of  quicksilver  and  miscellaneous  stone,  valued  at  $21,215, 
ranking  it  in  fifty-first  place.  Deposits  of  undetermined  value  of  iron 
and  sandstone  have  been  discovered  within  the  confines  of  this  county. 

Commercial  production  for  1918  was  as  follows : 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Stone   misoellanoous                                            -  -- 

$17,915 

Other  minerals 

3.300 

Total  value 

$21,215 

180 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


YUBA. 

Area :  639  square  miles. 

Population:  14,750  (estimate  by  County  Clerk,  1914). 
Location:   Lies   west   of   Sierra   and  Nevada   counties:    south   of 
Plumas. 

Yuba  is  ninth  of  the  fifty-six  mineral  producing  counties  of  the 
state,  and  leads  in  regard  to  gold  output,  surpassing  both  Nevada  and 
Amador  counties  in  1918  in  gold  yield.  Iron  deposits  have  been 
reported  in  this  county,  aside  from  the  following  commercial  production 
shown  for  the  year  1918: 


Substance 

Amount 

Value 

Gold                                               _          __             _      _  _    __ 

$3,767,933 

Platinum _-_    _-_  -_.   __        _  _      

189  ounces 

12,930 

Silver  

13,796 

Stone,  miscellaneous 

43,338 

Other  minerals    _    _. .__         

6,888 

Total  A'^alue _-      „  _  _      -    _-         _    _ 

$3,844,885 

■ 

APPENDIX.  181 

CHAPTER  EIGHT. 
APPENDIX. 


MINING  BUREAU  ACT. 

Chapter  679. 
[Stats.,  1913.] 

An  act  establishing  a  state  nnining  bureau,  creating  the  office  of  state  mineralogist, 
fixing  his  salary  and  prescribing  his  powers  and  duties;  providing  for  the 
employment  of  officers  and  employees  of  said  bureau,  making  It  the  duty  of 
persons  In  charge  of  mines,  mining  operations  and  quarries  to  make  certain- 
reports,  providing  for  the  investigation  of  mining  operations,  dealings  and 
transactions  and  the  prosecution  for  defrauding,  swindling  and  cheating  therein, 
creating  a  state  mining  bureau  fund  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  provisions 
of  this  act  and  repealing  an  act  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  establishment, 
maintenance,  and  support  of  a  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the  state  mining  bureau, 
and  for  the  appointment  and  duties  of  a  board  of  trustees,  to  be  known  as  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  who  shall  have  the  direction,  man- 
agement and  control  of  said  state  mining  bureau,  and  to  provide  for  the  appoint- 
ment, duties,  and  compensation  of  a  state  mineralogist,  who  shall  perform  the 
duties  of  his  office  under  the  control,  direction  and  supervision  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,"  approved  March  23,  1893,  and  all  acts 
amendatory  thereof  and  supplemental  thereto  or  In  conflict  herewith. 

[Approved  June  16,  1913.     In  effect  August  10,  1913.] 

The  j)eonle  of  the  State  of  California  do  enact  as  follows: 

Section  1.  There  is  hereby  created  and  established  a  state  mining  bureau.  The 
chief  oflScer  of  such  bureau  shall  be  the  state  mineralogist,  which  oflfice  is  hereby 
created. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  governor  of  the  State  of  California  and  he  is 
hereby  empowered  to  appoint  a  citizen  and  resident  of  this  state,  having  a  practical 
and  scientific  knowledge  of  mining,  to  the  office  of  state  mineralogist.  Said  state 
mineralogist  shall  hold  his  office  at  the  pleasure  of  the  governor.  He  shall  be  a  civil 
executive  officer.  He  shall  take  and  subscribe  the  same  oath  of  office  as  other 
state  officers.  He  shall  receive  for  his  services  a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars 
($300)  per  month,  to  be  paid  at  the  same  time  and  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
salaries  of  other  state  officers.  He  shall  also  receive  his  necessary  traveling 
expenses  when  traveling  on  the  business  of  his  office.  He  shall  give  bond  for  the 
faithful  performance  of  his  duties  in  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  ($10,000), 
said  bond  to  be  approved  by  the  governor  of  the  State  of  California. 

Sec.  3.  Said  state  mineralogist  shall  employ  competent  geologists,  field  assistants, 
qualified  specialists  and  office  employees  when  necessary  in  the  execution  of  his 
plans  and  operations  of  the  bureau,  and  fix  their  compensation.  The  said  employees 
shall  be  allowed  their  necessary  traveling  expenses  when  traveling  on  the  business  of 
said  department  and  shall  hold  office  at  the  pleasure  of  said  state  mineralogist. 

Sec.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  state  mineralogist  to  make,  facilitate,  and 
encourage,  special  studies  of  the  mineral  resources  and  mineral  industries  of  the 
state.  It  shall  be  his  duty:  to  collect  statistics  concerning  the  occurrence  and  pro- 
duction of  the  economically  important  minerals  and  the  methods  pursued  in  making 
their  valuable  constituents  available  for  commercial  use ;  to  make  a  collection  of 
typical  geological  and  mineralogical  specimens,  especially  those  of  economic  and 
commercial  importance,  such  collection  constituting  the  museum  of  the  state  mining 
bureau;  to  provide  a  library  of  books,  reports,  drawings,  bearing  upon  the  mineral 
industries,  and  sciences  of  mineralogy  and  geology,  and  arts  of  mining  and  metallurgy, 
such  library  constituting  the  library  of  the  state  mining  bureau ;  to  make  a 
collection  of  models,  drawings  and  descriptions  of  the  mechanical  appliances  used 
in  mining  and  metallurgical  processes ;  to  preserve  and  so  maintain  such  collections 
and  library  as  to  make  them  available  for  reference  and  examination,  and  open  to 


182  MINERAL    INDUSTRY    OP    CALIFORNIA. 

public  inspection  at  reasonable  hours ;  to  maintain,  in  effect,  a  bureau  of  information 
concerning  the  mineral  industries  of  this  state,  to  consist  of  such  collections  and 
library,  and  to  arrange,  classify,  catalogue,  and  index  the  data  therein  contained,  in 
a  manner  to  make  the  information  available  to  those  desiring  it ;  to  issue  from  time 
to  time  such  bulletins  as  he  may  deem  advisable  concerning  the  statistics  and  tech- 
nology of  the  mineral  industries  of  this  state. 

Sec.  5.  It  is  hereby  made  the  duty  of  the  owner,  lessor,  lessee,  agent,  manager 
or  other  person  in  charge  of  each  and  every  mine,  of  whatever  kind  or  character, 
within  the  state,  to  forward  to  the  state  mineralogist,  upon  his  request,  at  his  office 
not  later  than  the  thirtieth  day  of  June,  in  each  year,  a  detailed  report  upon  forms 
which  will  be  furnished  showing  the  character  of  the  mine,  the  number  of  men  then 
employed,  the  method  of  working  such  mine  and  the  general  condition  thereof,  the 
total  mineral  production  for  the  past  year,  and  such  owner,  lessor,  lessee,  agent, 
manager  or  other  person  in  charge  of  any  mine  within  the  state  must  furnish 
whatever  information  relative  to  such  mine  as  the  state  mineralogist  may  from 
time  to  time  require  for  the  proper  discharge  of  his  official  duties.  Any  owner, 
lessor,  lessee,  agent,  manager  or  other  person  in  charge  of  each  and  every  mine,  of 
whatever  kind  or  character  within  the  state,  who  fails  to  comply  with  the  above 
provisions  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor.* 

Sec.  G.  The  state  mineralogist  now  performing  the  duties  of  the  office  of  state 
mineralogist  shall  perform  the  duties  of  the  office  of  state  mineralogist  as  in  this 
act  provided  until  the  appointment  and  qualification  of  his  successor  as  in  this  act 
provided. 

Sec.  7.  The  said  state  mineralogist  shall  take  possession,  charge  and  control  of 
the  offices  now  occupied  and  used  by  the  board  of  trustees  and  state  mineralogist 
and  the  museum,  library  and  laboratory  of  the  mining  bureau  located  in  San  Fran- 
cisco as  provided  for  by  a  certain  act  of  the  legislature  approved  March  23,  1893, 
and  hereafter  referred  to  in  section  fourteen  hereof,  and  shall  maintain  such  offices, 
museum,  library  and  laboratory  for  the  purposes  provided  in  this  act. 

Sec.  8.  Said  state  mineralogist  or  qualified  assistant  shall  have  full  power  and 
authority  at  any  time  to  enter  or  examine  any  and  all  mines,  quarries,  w^ells,  mills, 
reduction  works,  refining  works  and  other  mineral  properties  or  working  plants  in 
this  state  in  order  to  gather  data  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  act.     . 

Sec.  9.  The  state  mineralogist  shall  make  a  biennial  report  to  the  governor  on 
or  before  the  fifteenth  day  of  September  next  preceding  the  regular  session  of  the 
legislature. 

Sec.  10.  All  moneys  received  by  the  state  mining  bureau  or  any  officer  thereof 
(except  such  as  may  be  paid  to  them  by  the  state  for  disbursement)  shall  be 
receipted  for  by  the  state  mineralogist  or  other  officer  authorized  by  him  to  act  in 
his  place  and  at  least  once  a  month  accounted  for  by  him  to  the  state  controller  and 
paid  into  the  state  treasury  to  the  credit  of  a  fund  which  is  hereby  created  and 
designated  "state  mining  bureau  fund."  All  moneys  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
state  mining  bureau  or  any  officer  thereof  received  from  any  source  whatsoever, 
shall  be  immediately  paid  over  to  the  state  mineralogist  and  by  him  accounted  for 
to  the  controller  and  paid  into  the  state  treasury  to  the  credit  of  said  fund.  Said 
fund  shall  be  used  and  is  hereby  appropriated  for  the  use  of  said  bureau  in  carrying 
out  the  purposes  of  this  act. 

Sec.  11.  The  said  state  mineralogist  is  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to 
receive  on  behalf  of  this  state,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  state  mining  bureau, 
gifts,  bequests,  devices  and  legacies  of  real  or  other  property  and  to  use  the  same  in 
accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  donors,  and  if  no  instructions  are  given  by  said 
donors,  to  manage,  use,  and  dispose  of  the  gifts  and  bequests  and  legacies  for  the 
best  interests  of  said  state  mining  bureau  and  in  such  manner  as  he  may  deem  proper. 


*Sec.  19  of  the  Penal  Code  of  California  provides:  "Except  in  cases  where  a  differ- 
ent punishment  is  prescribed  by  this  code,  every  offense  declared  to  be  a  misde- 
meanor is  punishable  by  Imprisonment  In  a  county  jail  not  exceeding  six  months,  or 
by  a  fine  not  exceeding  five  hundred  dollars,  or  by  both." 


APPENDIX.  183 

Sec.  12.  The  state  mineralogist  may,  whenever  he  deems  it  advisable,  prepare  a 
special  collection  of  ores  and  minerals  of  California  to  be  sent  to  or  used  at  any 
world's  fair  or  exposition  in  order  to  display  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  state. 

Sec.  13.  The  state  mineralogist  is  hereby  empowered  to  fix  a  price  upon  and  to 
dispose  of  to  the  public,  at  such  price,  any  and  all  publications  of  the  state  mining 
bureau,  including  reports,  bulletins,  maps,  registers  or  other  publications,  such  price 
shall  approximate  the  cost  of  publication  and  distribution.  Any  and  all  sums 
derived  from  such  disposition,  or  from  gifts  or  bequests  made,  as  hereinbefore  pro- 
vided must  be  accounted  for  by  said  state  mineralogist  and  turned  over  to  the 
state  treasurer  to  be  credited  to  the  mining  bureau  fund  as  provided  for  in  section 
ten.  He  is  also  empowered  to  furnish  without  cost  to  public  libraries  the  publications 
of  the  bureau,  and  to  exchange  publications  with  other  geological  surveys  and 
scientific  societies,  etc. 

Sec.  14.  The  state  mineralogist  provided  for  by  this  act  shall  be  the  successor 
in  interest  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  and  the  state 
mineralogist,  under  and  by  virtue  of  that  certain  act,  entitled  "An  act  to  provide 
for  the  establishment,  maintenance,  and  support  of  a  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the 
state  mining  bureau,  and  for  the  appointment  and  duties  of  a  board  of  trustees,  to 
be  known  as  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  who  shall  have  the 
direction,  management,  and  control  of  said  state  mining  bureau,  and  to  provide  for 
the  appointment,  duties,  and  compensation  of  a  state  mineralogist,  who  shall  perform 
the  duties  of  his  office  under  the  control,  direction  and  supervision  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,"  approved  March  23,  1893,  and  all  books, 
papers,  documents,  personal  property,  records,  and  property  of  every  kind  and 
description  obtained  or  possessed,  or  held  or  controlled  by  the  said  board  of  trustees 
of  the  said  state  mining  bureau,  and  the  state  mineralogist,  and  the  clerks  and 
employees  thereof,  under  the  provisions  of  said  act  of  March  23,  1893,  or  any  act 
supplemental  thereto  or  amendatory  thereof,  shall  immediately  be  turned  over  and 
delivered  to  the  said  state  mineralogist  herein  provided  for,  who  shall  have  charge 
and  control  thereof. 

Sec.  15.  That  certain  act  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  establishment, 
maintenance,  and  support  of  a  bureau,  to  be  known  as  the  state  mining  bureau,  and 
for  the  appointment  and  duties  of  a  board  of  trustees,  to  be  known  as  the  board 
of  trustees  of  the  state  mining  bureau,  and  to  provide  for  the  appointment,  duties 
and  compensation  of  a  state  mineralogist,  who  shall  perform  the  duties  of  his  office 
under  the  control,  direction,  and  supervision  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  state 
mining  bureau,"  approved  March  23,  1893,  together  with  all  acts  amendatory 
thereof  and  supplemental  thereto  and  all  acts  in  conflict  herewith  are  hereby 
repealed. 


184 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OP   CALIFORNIA. 


APPENDIX. 


PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING 

BUREAU. 

Publications  of  this  Bureau  will  be  sent  on  receipt  of  the  requisite  amount.  Only 
stamps,  coin  or  money  orders  will  be  accepted  in  payment.  The  prices,  noted,  include 
delivery  charges  to  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 

Money  orders  should  be  made  payable  to  the  State  Mining  Bureau. 

Personal  checks  will  not  be  accepted. 

REPORTS. 

Asterisk  (*)   indicates  the  publication  is  out  of  print. 

♦Report  I.     Henry  G.   Hanks.     1880. 

♦Report         II.     Henry  G.  Hanks.     1882. 

♦Report       III.     Henry  G.  Hanks.     1883. 

♦Report        IV.     Henry  G.   Hanks.      1884. 

♦Report  V.      Henry  G.   Hanks.      1885. 

^Report        VI.     Part  1.     Henry  G.  Hanks.     1886. 

♦Report        VI.      Part  2.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1886. 

♦Report      VII.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1887. 

♦Report    VIIT.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1888. 

♦Report        IX.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1889. 

♦Report  X.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1890.  Price 

Report        XI.     Wm.   Irelan,  Jr.      1892.      (First  biennial) $1.00 

♦Report      XII.     J.  J.   Crawford.     1894.      (Second  biennial) 

♦Report    XIII.      J.  J.  Crawford.      1896.      (Third  biennial) 

Chapters  of   State  Mineralogist's   Report,   Biennial   period,    1913-1914.   Fletcher 
Hamilton : 
Mines  and  Mineral  Resources  of  Imperial  and  San  Diego  Counties. — F.  J.  H. 

MerrilL     1914 .35 

♦Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Amador,  Calaveras  and  Tuolumne  Counties — 

W.    B.   Tucker.      1915 

Mines   and    Mineral    Resources,    Colusa,    Glenn,    Lake,    Marin,    Napa,    Solano, 

Sonoma  and  Yolo  Counties — Walter  W.  Bradley.     1915 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Del  Norte,  Humboldt  and  Mendocino  Counties — 

F.  L.  Lowell.     1915 .25 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Fresno,  Kern,  Kings,  Madera,  Mariposa,  Mer- 
ced, San  Joaquin  and  Stanislaus  Counties — Walter  W.  Bradley,  G.  C.  Brown, 

F.  L.  Lowell  and  R.  P.  McLaughlin.     1915 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Shasta,  Siskiyou  and  Trinity  Counties — G.   C. 

Brown.      1915 .50 

Report  XIV.     Fletcher  Hamilton,  1915,  Biennial  period  1913-1914.      (The  above 

county  chapters  combined  in  a  single  volume) 2.00 

Chapters  of   State  Mineralogist's  Report,   Biennial  Period,    1915-1916,   Fletcher 
Hamilton  : 
Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Alpine,  Inyo  and  Mono  Counties,  with  geological 
map — Arthur   S.    Eakle,   Emile   Huguenin,   R.   P.    McLaughlin,   Clarence   A. 

Waring.     1917 1.25 

Same  as  above,  without  geological  map .65 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources.  Butte,  Lassen,  Modoc,  Sutter  and  Tehama  Coun- 
ties— W.  Burling  Tucker,  Clarence  A.  Waring.     1917 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  El  Dorado,  Placer,  Sacramento  and  Yuba  Coun- 
ties— W.   Burling  Tucker,  Clarence  A.  Waring.     1917 .65 

Mines  and  Mineral  tlesources,  Los  Angeles,  Orange  and  Riverside  Counties — 

Frederick   J.    H.   Merrill.      1917 .50 

Mines  and  Mineral  Resources,  Monterey,  San  Benito,  San  Luis  Obispo,  Santa 
Barbara  and  Ventura  Counties — Walter  W.  Bradley,  Emile  Huguenin,  C.  A. 

Logan,  Clarence  A.  Waring.      1917 . .65 

Mines  and  Mineral   Resources,    San   Bernardino  and  Tulare   Counties — H.   C. 

Cloudman,  Emile  Huguenin,  F.  J.  H.  Merrill,  W.  Burling  Tucker     1917 .65 

Report  XV.     Fletcher  Hamilton,  1918,  Biennial  period,  1915-1916.      (The  above 

county  chapters  combined  in  a  single  volume) t 


BULLETINS. 

♦Bulletin     1.     Dessicated  Human  Remains. — Winslow  Anderson.      1888 

♦Bulletin     2.      Methods  of  Mine  Timbering. — W.  H.  Storms.     1894 

♦Bulletin     3.     Gas  and  Petroleum  Yielding  Formations  of  the  Central  Valley  of 

California. — W.  L.  Watts.     1894 

♦Bulletin     4.     Catalogue   of   California   Fossils    (Parts   2,    3,    4   and   5). — J.    G. 

Cooper.     1894 

♦Bulletin     5.     The  Cyanide  Process :  Its  Practical  Application  and  Economical 

Re.sults.— A.   Scheidel.     1894 ^ 

tWrite   for  price   list. 


APPENDIX. 


185 


PUBLICATIONS    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU— Continued. 

Asterisk  (*)  indicates  the  publication  is  out  of  print.  Price. 

Bulletin     6.     California  Gold  Mill  Practices. — E.  B.  Preston.     1895  _     _       _  $o  50 

♦Bulletin     7.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by   Counties,   189~4.^^has  "g"        ' 

Yale.      (Tabulated    sheet) ^^ 

♦Bulletin     8.     Mineral  Production   of  California,   by  Counties,   1895. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated    sheet) 

♦Bulletin     9.     Mine  Drainage,  Pumps,  etc. — Hans  C.  Behr.     1896 _'     "I"" 

♦Bulletin  10.     A    Bibliography    Relating    to    the    Geology,    Palaeontology,    and 

Mineral  Resources  of  California. — A.  W.  Vogdes.     1896 
♦Bulletin  11.     Oil  and  Gas  Yielding  Formations  of  Los  Angeles,  Ventura  and 

Santa  Barbara  Counties. — W.   L,  Watts.     1896 

♦Bulletin  12.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by  Counties,    1896. — Chas.   G~ 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) ___ 

♦Bulletin  13.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by   Counties,   1897. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  14.     Mineral   Production  of  California,  by  Counties,    1898. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

Bulletin  15.     Map  of  Oil  City  Oil  Fields,  Fresno  County. — J.  H.  Means 

♦Bulletin  16.     The  Genesis  of  Petroleum  and  Asphaltum  in  California. — A.   S. 

Cooper.     1899 

♦Bulletin  17.     Mineral   Production  of  California,   by  Counties,    1899. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  18.     The  Mother  Lode  Region  of  California. — ^W.  H.  Storms.     1900 

♦Bulletin  19.     Oil  and   Gas  Yielding  Formations  of  California. — ^W.  L.   Watts. 

1900   

♦Bulletin  20.     Synopsis    of    General    Report    of    State    Mining   Bureau. — ^W.    L. 

Watts.     1900 

♦Bulletin  21.     Mineral  Production   of  California,  by   Counties,   1900. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  22.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Fourteen  Years. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.      1900.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

Bulletin  Reconnaissance  of  the  Colorado  Desert  Mining  District. — Stephen 

Bowers.     1901 

Bulletin  23.     The  Copper  Resources  of  California. — P.  C.  DuBois,  F.  M.  Ander- 
son, J.  H.  Tibbits,  and  G.  A.  Tweedy.     1902 $0.50 

♦Bulletin  24.     The  Saline  Deposits  of  California. — G.  E.  Bailey.     1902 

♦Bulletin  25.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by   Counties,    1901. — Chas,   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  26.     Mineral   Production   of   California  for   Fifteen   Years. — Chas.   G, 

Yale.     1901.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  27.     The  Quicksilver  Resources  of  California. — Wm.  Forstner.     1903—     

♦Bulletin  28.     Mineral   Production   of  California,   by  Counties,    1902. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  29.     Mineral   Production   of   California  for   Sixteen   Years. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     1902.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  30.     A  Bibliography  of  Geology,  Palaeontology,  and  Mineral  Resources 

of  California. — A.  W.  Vogdes.     1903 

♦Bulletin  31.     Chemical    Analyses    of    California    Petroleum. — H.    N.     Cooper. 

1903.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  32.     Production  and  Use  of  Petroleum  in  California. — P.  W.  Prutzman. 

1904   .25 

♦Bulletin  33.     Mineral   Production  of  California,   by  Counties,   1903. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.      (Tabulated  sheet)   

♦Bulletin  34.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Seventeen  Tears. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.     1903.      (Tabulated  Sheet) -— --     

♦Bulletin  35.     Mines  and  Minerals  of  California,  for  1903. — Chas.  G.  Yale.     1904. 

(Statistical)   

♦Bulletin  36.     Gold  Dredging  in  California.— J.  E.  Doolittle.     1905 —     

Bulletin  37.     Gems.  Jewelers'  Materials,  and  Ornamental  Stones  of  California. 

— George  F.  Kunz.      1905: 

First  edition   (without  colored  plates) .25 

♦Second  edition  (with  colored  plates) 

♦Bulletin  38.     The    Structural    and    Industrial    Materials    of    California. — Wm. 

Forstner,  T.  C.  Hopkins,  C.  Naramore,  L.  H.  Eddy.     1906 

♦Bulletin  39.     Mineral  Production   of   California,   by  Counties,   1904. — Chas.   G. 

Yale      (Tabulated  sheet) — — 

♦Bulletin  40.     Mineral    Production    of    California    for    Eighteen    Years. — Chas. 

G.  Yale.     1904.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  41.     Mines    and    Minerals    of    California,    for    1904. — Chas.    G.    Yale. 

(Statistical)    

♦Bulletin  42.     Mineral  Production  of  California,  by  Counties.     1905. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  43.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Nineteen  Years. — Chas.  G. 

Yale.     1905.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  44.     Mines    and    Minerals    of    California,    for    1905. — Chas.    G.    Yale. 

(Statistical) 

♦Bulletin  45.     Auriferous  Black  Sands  of  California. — J.  A.  Edman.     1907 

Bulletin  46.     General  Index  to  Publications  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau. — Com- 
piled by  Chas.  G.  Yale.     1907 -30 

*BulIetin  47.     Mineral   Production  of  California,   by  Counties,   1906. — Chas.   G. 

Yale.     (Tabulated  sheet)  —J 

♦Bulletin  48.     Mineral   Production   of   California  for  Twenty  Years. — Chas.   Q. 

Yale.     1906.     (Tabulated  sheet) 


186 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


PUBLICATIONS    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    STATE     MINING    BUREAU— Continued. 
Asterisk   (*)    indicates  the  publication  is  out  of  print.  Price. 

•Bulletin  49.     Mines    and    Minerals    of    California,    for    1906. — Chas.    G.    Yale. 

(Statistical) 

Bulletin  50.     The   Copper   Resources   of  California. — A.    Hausmann,   J.    Krutt- 

schnitt,  Jr.,  W.  E.  Thorne,  J.  A.  Edman.     1908 $1.00 

♦Bulletin  51.     Mineral    Production    of    California,    by    Counties,    1907. — D.    H. 

Walker.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  52.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-one  Years. — D.  H. 

Walker.     1907.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  53.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  1907,  with  County  Maps — 

D.  H.  Walker.     1908.     (Statistical) 

♦Bulletin  54.     Mineral    Production    of    California,    by    Counties,    1908. — D.    H. 

Walker.      (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  55.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-two  years. — D.   H. 

Walker.     1908.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  56.     Mineral    Production   for   1908,    County   Maps,    and   Mining   Laws 

of  California. — D.H.Walker.     1909.     (Statistical) 

♦Bulletin  57.     Gold    Dredging   in    California. — W.    B.    Winston,    Charles    Janin. 

1910 

♦Bulletin  58.     Mineral    Production    of    California,    by    Counties,    1909. — D.    H. 

Walker.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  59.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-three  Years. — D.  H. 

Walker.     1909.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  60.     Mineral    Production   for   1909,    County   Maps,    and   Mining   Laws 

of  California. — D.  H.  Walker.     1910.      (Statistical) 

♦Bulletin  61.     Mineral  Production  of  California,  by  Counties,  for  1910. — D.  H. 

Walker.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

♦Bulletin  62.     Mineral  Production  of  California  for  Twenty-four  Years. — D.  H. 

Walker.     1910.     (Tabulated  sheet) 

Bulletin  63.     Petroleum  in  Southern  California. — P.  W.  Prutzman.     1912 .75 

♦Bulletin  64.     Mineral  Production  for  1911. — E.  S.  B'oalich,  Statistician.     1912__     

♦Bulletin   65.      Mineral  Production  for  1912. — E.  S.  Boalich.      1913 

♦Bulletin  66.     Mining  Laws  (United  States  and  California).      1914 

♦Bulletin  67.     Minerals  of   California. — A.    S.    Eakle.      1914 

♦Bulletin   68.     Mineral  Production  for  1913. — E.  S.  Boalich.      1914 

Bulletin  69.     Petroleum  Industry  of  California,  with  Folio  of  Maps  (18x22  in.) 

— R.  P.  McLaughlin  and  C.  A.  Waring.      1914 2.00 

♦Bulletin  70.     Mineral  Production  for  1914,  with  Mining  Law  Appendix.      1915.      

♦Bulletin  71.     California  Mineral  Production  for  1915,  with  Mining  Law  Appen- 
dix and  Maps. — Walter  W.  Bradley.     1916 

Bulletin  72,     Geologic  Formations  of  California. — James  Perrin  Smith.     1917. 

(For  Map,  see  below) .25 

♦Bulletin  73.     Report  of  Operations  of  Department  of  Petroleum  and  Gas  for 

1915-1916. — R.  P.  McLaughlin.     1917 

Bulletin  74.     California   Mineral    Production    for    1916,    with    County   Maps. — 

Walter  W.  Bradley.     1917 

Bulletin  75.     Mining  Laws,  United  States  and  California.     1917 

Bulletin  76.     Manganese   and   Chromium   in   California. — Walter  W.    Bradley, 
Emile    Huguenin,    C.    A.    Logan,    W.    Burling    Tucker,    C.    A. 

Waring.      1918    .50 

Bulletin  77.     Catalogue    of    the    Publications   of   the    California   State    Mining 

Bureau,  1880-1917. — E.  S.  Boalich.     1918 

Bulletin  78.     Quicksilver  Resources  of  California. — Walter  W.  Bradley.     1918 —    1.50 

Bulletin  79.     Magnesite  in  California.      (In  preparation) 

Bulletin  80.     Tungsten,  Molybdenum  and  Vanadium  in  California.      (In  prep- 
aration)         

Bulletin   81.     Copper  Resources  of  P^oothill  Belt,  California.     (In  preparation) —     

Bulletin  82.     Second    Annual    Report    of    the    State    Oil    and    Gas    Supervisor, 

1916-1917.— R.  P.  McLaughlin.     1918 

Bulletin  83.     California   Mineral    Production    for    1917,    with   County   Maps. — 

Walter  W.  Bradley.     1918 

Bulletin  84.     Third  Annual  Report  of  the  State  Oil  and  Gas  Supervisor,  1917- 

1918. — R.  P.  McLaughlin.      1919 

Bulletin  85.     Platinum  Resources  of  California.      (In  press) 

Bulletin  86.     California    Mineral    Production    for    1918,    with    County    Maps. 

Walter  W.  Bradley.     1919 


PRELIMINARY   REPORTS. 

♦Preliminary  Report    No.    1.     Notes    on    Damage    by   Water    in    California   Oil 
Fields,  Dec,  1913.     By  R.  P.  McLaughlin 

♦Preliminary  Report    No.    2.     Notes    on    Damage    by   Water    in    California    Oil 
Fields,  Mar.,   1914.     By  R.  P.  McLaughlin 

♦Preliminary  Report  No.  3.  Manganese  and  Chromium,  1917.  By  E.  S.  Boalich 
Preliminary    Report    No.    3.     Manganese    and    Chromium.     By   E.    S.    Boalich. 

(Second  edition) 

Preliminary  Report  No.  4.     Tungsten,  Molybdenum  and  Vanadium,   1918.     By 

E.  S.  Boalich  and  W.  O.  Castello 

Preliminary  Report   No.    5.     Antimony,    Graphite,    Nickel,    Potash,    Strontium, 

Tin,  1918.     By  E.  S.  Boalich  and  W.  O.  Castello 


APPENDIX.  187 

PUBLICATIONS    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    STATE     MINING    BUREAU—Continued. 
REGISTERS  OF   MINES  WITH    MAPS. 

Astrisk  (*)  indicates  the  publication  is  out  of  print.  Price. 

Amador  County : _  •  25 

Butte  County ~               ~  '25 

♦Calaveras  County ~  _~     ""I         I 

*E1  Dorado  County II.I^      ~_  """ 

♦Inyo  County ~~     "~  ~" 

♦Kern  County IIIZI_II  ~  ~_~I 

♦Lake  County ~ ZIZ.IIII  I 

Mariposa  County II_IIIIZ. I_I   ~  25 

♦Nevada  County • ."___" 11111111 

♦Placer  County Z_ 

♦Plumas  County 1 IIIIII  IIII 

♦San   Bernardino  County ~_ I  I 

♦San  Diego  County ~_ rZII  IIII 

Santa  Barbara  County I  ~  ,25 

♦Shasta  County _I 

♦Sierra  County I 

♦Siskiyou  County 1_  I_II 

♦Trinity  County II_I 

♦Tuolumne  County I 

Yuba  County ~  .25 

Register  of  Oil  Wells  (with  map),  Los  Angeles  City ,3G 

OTHER    MAPS.  Price 

♦California,  Showing  Mineral  Deposits  (50x60  in.) — mounted 

Forest  Reserves  in  California — 

Mounted   .50 

Unmounted .30 

♦Mineral  and  Relief  Map  of  California 

El  Dorado  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Madera  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Placer  County,  Showing  Boundaries  ox  National  Forests .20 

Shasta  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Sierra  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

Siskiyou  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

♦Trinity  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests 

Tuolumne  County,  Showing  Boundaries  of  National  Forests .20 

♦Mother  Lode  Region 

Desert  Region  of  Southern  California .10 

Minaret  Region,   Madera  County .20 

Copper  Deposits  in  California .05 

Calaveras  County .25 

Lake  County .25 

Tuolumne  County  _. .25 

Geological  Map  of  California  (mounted) — 50x60  inches 2.50 

OIL  FIELDS  MAPS. 

The  following  maps  of  the  oil  fields  of  the  state  have  been  completed  and  placed 
on  sale : 

The  prices  of  the  maps  are  75  cent's  per  copy,  with  the  exception  of  the  Sargent 
oil  map,  which  is  50  cents.     These  prices  include  postage. 
Map  No.     1 — Sargent.  Santa  Clara  County. 

Map  No.     2 — Santa  Maria,  including  Cat  Caiion  and  Los  Alamos. 
Map  No.     3 — Santa  Maria,   including  Casmalia  and  Lompoc. 
Map  No.     4 — ^Whittier-Fullerton,    including   Olinda,    Brea   Caiion,    Puente    Hills,    East 

Coyote,  and  Richfield. 
Map  No.     5 — Whittier-F'ullerton,  including  Whittier,  West  Coyote,  and  Montobello. 
Map  No.     6 — Salt  Lake,  Los  Angeles  County. 
Map  No.     7 — Sunset  and  San  Emidio,  Kern  County. 
Map  No.     8 — South  Midway   and   Buena  Vista  Hills,    Kern   County. 
Map  No.     9 — North  Midway  and  McKittrick,    Kern   County. 
Map  No.   10 — Belridge  and  McKittrick  Front,  Kern  County. 
Map  No.   11 — Lost  Hills   and   North   Belridge,   Kern   County. 
Map  No.  12 — Devils  Den,  Kern  County. 
Map  No.   13 — Kern  River,  Kern  County. 
Map  No.   14 — Coalinga,   Fresno  County. 
Map  No.   15 — Elk  Hills,  Kern  County. 

DETERMINATION  OF  MINERAL  SAMPLES. 
Samples  (limited  to  three  at  one  time)  of  any  mineral  found  in  the  state  may  be 
sent  to  the  Bureau  for  identification,  and  the  same  will  be  classified  free  of  charge. 
No  samples  will  be  determined  if  received  from  points  outside  the  state.  It  must  be 
understood  that  no  assays  or  Quantitative  determinations  will  be  made.  Samples 
.sliould  be  in  lump  form  if  possible,  and  marked  plainly  with  name  of  sender  on  out- 
side of  package,  etc.  No  samples  will  be  received  vmless  delivery  charges  are  prepaid. 
A  letter  should  accompany  sample,  giving  locality  where  mineral  was  found  and  the 
nature  of  the  infonuation  desired. 


188 


MINERAL   INDUSTRY   OF   CALIFORNIA. 


Area  of  California,         1 53,650  sq.  miles 
"      10  other  States,   153.130  sq.  miles 


Outline  map  of  California,  showing  relative  areas  of  ten  other  states. 

The  following  county  maps  show  all  towns,  post  offices,  railroads,  stage  lines,  and 
the  highways.  They  are  especially  valuable  to  all  who  wish  to  leave  the  railroad 
and  penetrate  to  the  interior  of  the  mining  districts  of  the  state.  These  maps  must 
not  be  reproduced  without  obtaining  permission  from  the  Mining  Bureau. 


APPENDIX. 


189 


i^~ 


'<! 


\. 


v\ 


RELIEF  MAP  OF 

CAUFORNIA 

IssMd  ky  tie 

CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU 


FLETCHER  HAMILTON 

State  Mineralo^st 


ooaoiAi 


190 


STATE  :^r  OREGON 


O  OTm£K  PLAca 

(Sma//  f/ficrrti    i^eno^e  aff/fucfei) 

Scale  of  miles. 

t — —16 li         & * i) 


J_.. 

SIERRA 


STATE  Mining  Bureau -1916 


191 


1»2 


13-47382 


193 


195 


196 


197 


^  — .^ ^  ^) — ^MMMfmmMjP^ 


199 


200 


204 


205 


2oe 


2U8 


INDEX. 


Page 
Alameda   County   150 

Map  of : 198 

Alpine   County   150 

Map  of 197 

Aluminum    39 

Amador  County 150 

Map  of   197 

American    Institute    of    Mining    Engi- 
neers, cited 40,  58 

Antimony   39-40 

Total  production 40 

Appendix   181-208 

Asbestos    111-113 

Classes   and   characteristics 112 

Total   production   113 

Asphalt   80 

Atolia,  dry  concentration  of  scheelite 

at 76 

Barytes   113-114 

Total   production    ^ 114 

Basalt  at  Dunsmuir 103 

Bauxite 39 

Beach   stones    (gems) 121 

Benitoite    122 

Bismuth     40 

From    blister    copper 40 

Bisque  doll  heads 117 

Bituminous  rock 81 

Total  production 81 

Bloodstone     121 

Borax     140-141 

Production,   1887-1918 ^ 141 

Brand  and  Stevens'  pumice 133 

Brick    81-84 

Production  of  various  kinds 83 

Total   production,    1893-1918 84 

Building  stone.     (See  Granite,  Marble, 
Sandstone,  etc.) 

Bulletins,  list  of 184 

Burchard,  E.  F.,  cited 120 

Burma,  production  of  tungsten  in 75 

Butler,  B.  S.,  cited 15,  129 

Butte  County 151 

Map  of 193 

Cadmium     40 

Calaveras  County 152 

Map  of 197 

California     Alkali      Company's     soda 

plant    . 147 

Map   of,    showing  locations  of   coal 

deposits    22 

Map   of,    showing  relative   areas  of 

ten    other   states 188 

Relief   map   of-- 189 

Californite     122 

Calistoga  'geysers' 130,  131,  132 

Cement    79,  84-85 

Potash  as  a  by-product  from 84 

Total  production — 85 

Chalcedony    121 

Chart  of  copper  data . 42 

Showing  oil   data 30 

Gold  production 45 

Magnesite  data 94 

Silver  production 71 

Chicken  grit 106 

Chromite   86-91 

Concentration  of 86 

Economic   condition   of 86-88 

Imports  of 87 

Occurrence   of   88 

Prices  of   89 

Shipped  by  mail 89 

Total  production 90-91 

14—47382 


Page 

Chrysoprase 121,  122 

Clay — pottery    114-117 

Production   1887-1918   117 

Products     117 

Coal    21-23 

Map   showing  deposits  of,    in   Cali- 
fornia      22 

Total  production  of 23 

Columnar  basalt  ^t  Dunsmuir 103 

Colusa  County 152 

Map  of 194 

Concentration  of  chromite 86 

Of  molybdenum 56 

Quicksilver    67 

Tungsten     75,  76 

Concrete  highway  bridge 85 

Concrete,    rock    for 107 

Consular  reports,  cited 75,  139 

Contra   Costa   County 153 

Map  of 196 

Copper    38,  41-44 

Chart  showing  data  on 42 

Flotation  concentration  of 43 

Leaching  of 43 

Production    1887-1918    44 

Cost  data  on  magnesite 96-97 

On   quicksilver   64 

Counties,  mineral  production  of 

12,   148-180 

Crushed  rock 79,  107,  108 

Curbing    92 

Del    Norte    County 153 

Map  of 190 

Determination  of  mineral  samples 187 

Diamonds    121,  122 

Diatomaceous  earth 125 

Dividends  by  metal  producers 14 

By  oil  companies 36 

Dolbear,   S.   H.,  cited 86 

Doll    heads,    bisque 117 

Dolomite   118 

Domestic  independence  in  minerals 14 

Dredge  production  of  platinum — 57,  58 

Dredging,  gold,  decline  of 46 

El  Dorado  County 154 

Map  of 195 

Economic  situation  of  quicksilver 62-67 

Electric  smelting  of  ferro  alloys __    > 

51,  54,  bh^gl 

Electrolytic  zinc  plants 40,-78 

Exhibit  of  California  structural  mate-  .    .7 
rials    .3 

Feldspar    119-120 

Total  production 120 

Ferro-chrome  by  electric  furnace 51,  87 

Ferro-manganese  by  electric  furnace- 

51,    54,    55 

Fire-clay 116 

Fluorspar    120 

Fresno  County 154 

Map  of 200 

Fuels    21-37 

Fuller's  earth 121 

Total  production 121 

Gas   {See  Natural  Gas). 

Gasoline  from  natural  gas 25 

Gems     121-122 

Total  production 122 

Geysers  at  Calistoga 130,  131.  132 

Glass  sand 135-136 

Glenn  County 155 

Map  of 194 


210 


INDEX. 


Page 

Gold 38,  44-50 

Chart  showing  production  data  on —     45 

Dredging,    decline   of 46 

Percentage   yield    of,    by   lodes   and 

placers   46-48 

Total  production 49-50 

War    effect   on 44,  47 

Goodyear,  W.  A.,  cited 23 

Granite 91-92 

Production,    1887-1918 92 

Graphite    122-124 

Gravel    106 

Grinding  mill  pebbles 105 

Gypsum    124-125 

Total    production • 125 

High-speed  steels 74 

Highway  construction 79,  85 

Hill.  J.  M.,  cited 58 

House  Committee  Hearings  on  magne- 

site    96 

Hubernite     75 

Huguenin,  Emile 74,  82 

Humboldt  County  ___ 155 

Map  of 192 

Hydrocarbons    21 

Hydroelectric  power 10 

Imperial   County 156 

Map  of 208 

Industrial    materials   110-139 

Infusorial    earth    125-126 

Total  production 126 

International   control   of  minerals 16-20 

Inyo   County   148,  157 

Map  of 202 

Iridium    57 

Iron  ore 38,  51 

Electric  smelting  of 51 

Total  production . 51 

Jasper ' 121 

Jewelers'  materials   (See  Gems), 

Katz,   F.  J.,  cited 119 

Kern    County   148,  157 

Map  of 203 

Kern  River  oil  field,  corrective  meas- 
ures in 34 

Kings  County 158 

Map  of 201 

Kunzite    122 

Ladd  mine,   manganese  production  of     55 
Lake   County    158 

Map  of 194 

Larsite     83 

Lassen    County    159 

Map  of 191 

Lassen  Peak 173 

Lead   52 

Production,    1887-1918    52 

Leith,   C.   K.,   cited 14,  16 

Lignite    21 

Oil  from 23 

Lime 92-93 

Limestone    126-128 

Total    value     lime    and    limestone, 

1887-1918    128 

Lincoln   Clay   Products  Company,  pit 

of    115 

Lithia 128 

Los  Angeles   County    159 

Map  of 206 

Los  Angeles  Pressed  Brick  Company's 

Alberhill  plant 82 

Macadam    107 

Madera   County   160 

Map  of - —  199 


Page 

Magnesite    93-99 

Chart  of  production  and  value 94 

Cost   data   96-97 

Duty  on 96-97 

Foreign   competition  in 96 

Occurrence  of 93 

Producing   districts    93 

Production  by  counties 99 

Production,    1887-1918    99 

Refractories   plants    97,  98 

Standardizing  domestic  product 98 

Uses   of 95 

Values  of 97 

Magnesium  salts 141—142 

Manganese    53-55 

Imports  of,  from  Brazil 54 

Prices  of 53 

Total    production    55 

Map  of  California  showing  location  of 

coal    deposits    22 

Maps,  list  of,   of  various  counties 187 

Marble   99 

Production,   1887-1918 100 

Marin    County   160 

Map  of 196 

Mariposa  county 161 

Map  of 199 

McLaughlin,  R.   P.,  cited 27,  28 

Mendocino    County    161 

Map  of 194 

Merced    County    162 

Map  of 199 

Metals    38-78 

Mica    129 

Mineral  industry,  review  of 9-14 

Output,   1918    (tabulation) 11 

Output  by  counties 12,  148-180 

Output,     comparative    value,     1917, 

1918    11 

Paint    129-130 

Samples,  determination  of 187 

Water    130-132 

Production,   1887-1918    132 

Minerals,  economic  limits  to  independ- 
ence in  14 

International    control    of 16-20 

Total  production  of,  by  years '     13 

Variety  of,  produced  in  California.       9 

War  demands  for 14 

World   movements    of 16 

Mining  and  Scientific  Press,  cited 

14,  45,  71,  86 

Mining  Bureau   Act _181-183 

Miscellaneous    stone    102-109 

Modoc  County 162 

Map    of    191 

Molybdenum    56 

Concentration   of   56 

Mono  County 163 

Map  of 202 

Monterey  County 163 

Map   of   204 

Monumental    stone   92 

Motor  trucks 10.  89 

Moulding  sand 106 

Mount  Diablo  district,  coal  from 23 

Shasta    174 

Naoa  County '. 164 

Map   of    196 

Natomas   Company,   dredge  of 57 

Natural    gas    24-26 

Gasoline  from 25 

Production,  1888-1918 25 

Nevada  County 164 

Map  of 195 

New    Idria    quicksilver    mine,    rotary 

furnaces    at   61,  67 

Nickel    57 

Nitrates    142 


INDEX. 


211 


Page 
Oat   Hill   quicksilver   mine,   new   con- 
densers and  furnace  at 

65,  66,  68,  69 

Oil    (See  Petroleum). 

Land  ownership 29,  31 

Lands,    proved   37 

Oliver  Chemical  Company,  salt  stacks 

of    145 

Onyx    99,  100 

Orange  County 165 

Map   of   206 

Osmium   57 

Ownership  of  oil  lands 29 

Palladium    57 

Paving   blocks   104 

Peat   21 

Pebbles   for   grinding  mills 105 

Petroleum 26-37 

Average  price  by  county  1914-1918     31 

Chart  showing  price  data  of 30 

Dividends   from    36 

Financial  tables 34-36 

On  withdrawn   lands 27 

Ownership  of  lands  yielding 29,  31 

Operating  costs  by  fields 36 

Price  chart  for 30 

Prices  by  fields 31,  36 

Production,    1875-1918 32 

Production  and  value  by  counties —     31 

Production  by  fields 33 

Production  of  light  and  heavy  grav- 
ities         34 

Stability  of 28 

Statistics  of  well  operations 33,  36 

Storage  of 34 

Wasting  of 28 

Yield  per  day  of  wells 36 

Phalen,  W.  C,  cited 98 

Phosphates    133 

Placer    County    165 

Map  of 195 

Platinum     57-60 

From  blister  copper 58 

Prices  of 59 

Production,   1887-1918 60 

Plumas  County 166 

Map   of   193 

Porcelain     116 

Potash    143-145 

From   cement   84 

Total  production  of 145 

Pottery   clays    114-117 

Use  of  feldspar  in 119 

Proved   oil   lands 37 

Publications   of   State  Mining  Bureau 

184-187 

'Puffed'  brick  for  concrete  shipbuilding 

83 

Pumice    133-134 

Pyrite     134-135 

Total  production 135 

Quartz     121,  135 

Quicksilver     38,  60-70 

Concentration  of 67 

Condensers,  new 66,  68 

Duty  on 64-67 

Economic  situation  of 62-67 

Foreign  competition  in 64 

Furnaces,    new    61,  63,  67-69 

Prices 60,  62 

Production,  by    counties 69 

Total  production   70 

Uses  of   67 


Paob 
Rhodonite   122 

Riprap    107 

Riverside   County    148,  166 

Map  of 208 

Roads,  construction  of 79 

Roofing   sand   106 

Tile    117 

Rubble    107 

Sacramento  County 167 

Map  of 197 

Salines 140-147 

Salt   145-146 

Production,   1887-1918 146 

Samples,  determination  of 187 

San  Benito  County 168 

Map   of   204 

San   Bernardino  County 148,  168 

Map  of 207 

San  Diego  County 169 

Map   of   208 

San  Francisco  County 170 

Map  of 198 

San   Joaquin   County 170 

Map  of 197 

San  Luis  Obispo  County 170 

Map  of 205 

San  Mateo  County 171 

Map   of   198 

Sand,  glass 135-136 

Sand  and  gravel 106 

Sandstone    100-101 

Production,    1887-1918    101 

Santa  Barbara  County 171 

Map  of 205 

Santa  Clara  County 172 

Map  of 198 

Santa  Cruz   County 173 

Map   of 198 

Schaller,  W.  T.,  cited 129 

Scheelite 75 

Serpentine 100,  101 

Shasta  County 148,  173 

Map  of 192 

Sierra   County   174 

Map  of 193 

Silica    135-136 

Total  production 136 

Silver     - 38,  70-73 

Chart   showing  production  of 71 

Exchange  for,   proposed 72 

Percentage   yield   of,    by   classes   of 
ores 72 

Production  of,  by  counties 73 

Production,  1880-1918 73 

Siskiyou   County 174 

Map  of 190 

Slate 102 

Production,    1889-1918    102 

Smith,  George  Otis,  cited 14 

Soapstone    136-137 

Total  production 137 

Soda    146-147 

Total  production  of 147 

Solano  County 175 

Map   of   196 

Sonoma  County 175 

Map  of 196 

Spelter.      (See   Zinc). 

Stanislaus  County 176 

Map   of    199 

State  Highway  Bridge  at  Sacramento     85 
State  Mineralogist's  Reports,  list  of—  184 

Mining  Bureau  publications,  list__- 

184-187 


212 


INDEX. 


Page 
Stone,   miscellaneous 102-109 

Production  by  counties 109 

Production   by  years 108 

Stoneware 117 

Strontium    137-138 

Structural   materials 79-109 

Exhibit  of 2 

Sulphur    138-139 

Sutter   County   176 

Map  of 195 

Talc 136 

Teasdale,  C.  H.,  cited 120 

Tehama  County 177 

Map    of   192 

Terra    cotta    117 

Tesla  coal  mine 23 

District,   manganese   in 54,  55 

Tile   81,  83 

Tin    74 

Cadmium  substituted  for 41 

Tourmaline    122 

Travertine 100 

Treanor,    John,    cited 120 

Trinity   County   177 

Map  of 192 

Tube  mill  pebbles 105 

Tulare  County 178 

Map  of 201 

Tungsten    38,  74-77 

Concentration  of 75,  76 

Total   production   77 

Tungsten  Mines   Company's  mill 75 


Page 

Tuolumne   County 178 

Map  of 197 

United      States      Commerce     Reports, 

cited   75,  139 

Department   of  Agriculture,   cited__   142 

Geological   Survey,  cited 

14,  15,  16,  23,  41,  42,  46,  51,  54,  58,  70, 
72,   75,   76,    86,    119,    120,    124,    129,   142 

Mineral   supplies  of '    18 

National  museum,   cited 28 

Tariff  Commission,   cited 64,  67 

Vanadium    77 

Ventura   County    179 

Map  of 206 

Volcanic    ash   133 

Wise  Power  House 10 

Witherite    113 

Wolframite 75 

World  movement  of  minerals 16 

Yale,  Chas.  G.,  cited 42,  72 

Yolo  County 179 

Map  of 196 

Yosemite  Valley 161 

Yuba  County 180 

Map   of   195 

Zinc 78 

Plants,  electrolytic 48,  78 

Total  production 78 


47382    10-19    6000 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL   BE  ASSESSED    FOR    FAILURE  TO   RETURN 
THIS   BOOK   ON   THE   DATE   DUE.    THE   PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY    AND    TO    $1.00    ON     THE    SEVENTH     DAY 
OVERDUE. 

JW  3  0  ^980 

RECEIVED 

RECEIVED 

NOV    i)  1986 

APR     4  1980 

PHYS  SCI  LIBRARY 

PHYS  SCI  LIBRARY 

JUN  301982 

...<  JO  1983 

JUN  3  0  1984 

JUN  30  1985 

JUN  30  1986 

JUN80^3^^1 

NOV  C4  la^s 

LIBRARY,    BRANCH    OF   THE   COLLEGE   OF   AGRICULTURE 

5m-9,'35(s)     I 


21151 
California 


Dept,  of 


TN24 
C3 


natural  j'esources 


A3 


Division 


of  mines 


no. 86 


Bulletin 


PHYSICAL 
SCIENCFS 


UBRARY 


/^ 


c^/.y. 


A// 3/ 

LIBBABT,  BRANCH  OF  THB  GOLIiEGB  OT  AGRICULTUEB,  DAVIS 
CNIVBESITY  01"  OAIilFOKNlA 


1175  00478  3216 


